The Satanic Temple of Iowa says a statue depicting the pagan idol Baphomet, part of its controversial display in the Iowa Capitol, has been destroyed.
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“This morning, we were informed by authorities that the Baphomet statue in our holiday display was destroyed beyond repair,” the group said in a statement posted on Facebook on Thursday.
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It did not indicate whether the vandal or vandals had been identified.
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Capitol security could not be reached for comment late Thursday.
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The installation, permitted under state rules governing religious displays in the building, has come under debate and criticism of by Iowa and national politicians.
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Ron DeSantis on Tuesday joined a chorus of Republicans calling for its removal while others in the GOP said that, though it is offensive, it is a protected form of free speech.
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The robed figure of Baphomet holds a ribbon-bedecked pentangle and topped with a gilded ram’s head.
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Despite the destruction of the figure, the Satanic Temple on Facebook that the remainder of the display ― a small altar displaying the temple’s seal and the seven tenets of satanism, would remain for now.
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“We are proud to continue our holiday display for the next few days that have been allotted,” it said.
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It also cautioned visitors to it to “travel together and use the 7 tenets as a reminder for empathy, in the knowledge that justice is being pursued in the correct way, through legal means.”
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The message concluded, “Happy Holidays! Hail Satan.”
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The Satanic Temple of Iowa received permission earlier this month to place the display on the first floor of the Capitol for two weeks.
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A Christian nativity display was placed in the building Tuesday.
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Lucien Greaves, the co-founder of The Satanic Temple, spoke out about the incident on social media.
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The Satanic Temple is a national network based in Salem, Massachusetts.
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Greaves said the vandalism was a “hate crime.”
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“They had their own displays, their own protests, they ‘filled the capitol with prayers,’” he began.
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“They did interviews with media outlets who allowed them to put words in our mouths without seeking comment from us and then they vandalized our display anyways,” Greaves wrote.
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“And they still play the victim,” he concluded.
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Now, a former U.S. Navy fighter pilot running for a statehouse seat in Mississippi is being accused of the damage.
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Michael Cassidy of Lauderdale, Mississippi, was charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief, the Iowa Department of Public Safety said Friday.
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He was released shortly after his arrest.
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Cassidy is a Republican running for a seat in the Mississippi House of Representatives.
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The biography on his campaign website says he served as a Navy fighter pilot and a pilot instructor.
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Cassidy describes himself as a “Christian conservative who loves our nation and is committed to preserving the blessings of liberty bestowed upon us by the Founding generation.”
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On Friday, part of the display remained at the site in the Capitol.
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A lone man, who declined to give his name, sat in front of the display and recited Christian prayers, making references to Jesus.
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It wasn’t immediately clear if he was a supporter or detractor of the Satanic Temple.