Court filings reveal Mississippi politician charged with hate crime for destroying Satanic Temple display at Iowa State Capitol
A Mississippi politician has been charged with a felony hate crime for vandalizing a holiday display at the Iowa State Capitol in December. Michael Cassidy, who hails from Mississippi, admitted to traveling to Des Moines specifically to destroy the display from the Satanic Temple (TST). The TST is a recognized religious organization that promotes rationality, compassion, and the struggle for justice.
According to Cassidy, he attacked and beheaded the statue in order to awaken Christians to the anti-Christian acts promoted by our government. His motive led to the charge of third-degree criminal mischief, which is classified as a hate crime and automatically elevates the offense to a felony.
The Iowa State Capitol permits displays from various religious groups, including the nativity scene that was also exhibited in December. TST, despite being regularly confused with the Church of Satan, is not associated with it. TST, founded in 2013 by a small group of atheists, does not believe in the existence of Satan or the supernatural.
The TST display vandalized by Cassidy featured the temple’s seven fundamental tenets, which emphasize rationality, compassion, and the pursuit of justice. The display attracted a considerable amount of controversy on right-wing media sites and social media platforms, particularly after being covered by Fox News.
Initially charged with a misdemeanor, Cassidy now faces a third-degree criminal mischief charge due to the cost of replacing the damage he caused. Cassidy’s attorney has declined to comment on the charges thus far.
Cassidy, who previously served as a Navy pilot and holds history degrees from Virginia Tech and Harvard University, attempted an unsuccessful political career in Mississippi. Following the attack on the TST display, Cassidy received attention and started fundraising for his legal defense. He has amassed $98,000 for his defense fund as of the end of January.
The news of Cassidy’s hate crime charge has drawn attention from prominent figures in right-wing social media. Chaya Raichik, a well-known anti-LGBTQ personality and conspiracy theorist, recently tweeted about Cassidy, claiming that wokeness and Satanism have become the new religion in the United States.
The TST congregation of Iowa celebrated the decision to charge Cassidy with a hate crime, viewing it as a noteworthy step toward achieving true religious equality in America. The congregation expressed gratitude to the Polk County Attorney’s Office for recognizing the Satanic Temple’s religious standing and reinforcing their rightful place in a society that values diverse beliefs.
Cassidy is scheduled to be arraigned on the felony criminal mischief charge on February 15th.
