CATCHING HELL

Man Charged With Vandalizing Iowa Capitol’s Satanic Temple Display

The accused reportedly said he tore down the statue because it’s “extremely anti-Christian.”

A man was arrested and charged after allegedly damaging a display from the Satanic Temple inside the Iowa State Capitol building, authorities said Thursday. Michael Cassidy, 35, was charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief after allegedly trashing the statue of the goat-headed deity Baphomet, which the Satanic Temple said had been “destroyed beyond repair.” The group reportedly set the statue up last week as an expression of religious freedom. According to Fox News Digital, Cassidy freely admitted he’d torn down the display because it “was extremely anti-Christian.” Iowa’s Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds had also called the display “absolutely objectionable” and invited others to join her in “praying over the Capitol.” In its statement about the incident, the Satanic Temple signed off with “Happy Holidays!” and “Hail Satan!”