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US veteran who allegedly tore down Satanic Temple statue slapped with hate crime charge

February 1, 2024 | | Print Article

U.S. Navy veteran Michael Cassidy, who allegedly decapitated a Satanic Temple statue that was on display in the Iowa state Capitol during the holiday season, has been slapped with a hate crime.

The conservative Christian allegedly violated “individual rights” under Iowa’s hate crime statute when, according to the Satanic Temple of Iowa, he “destroyed beyond repair” the statue of the horned deity, Baphomet.

Cassidy, a former Mississippi congressional candidate, was initially charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief, a misdemeanor, the Des Moines Register reports.

After cutting off Baphomet’s head and tossing it in a trashcan, Cassidy turned himself into the cops.

“The world may tell Christians to submissively accept the legitimization of Satan, but none of the founders would have considered government sanction of Satanic altars inside Capitol buildings as protected by the First Amendment,” Cassidy told The Sentinel in a statement at the time. “Anti-Christian values have steadily been mainstreamed more and more in recent decades, and Christians have largely acted like the proverbial frog in the boiling pot of water.”

According to the Register, a charging document released on Tuesday revealed that Polk County prosecutors have now charged Cassidey with felony third-degree criminal mischief.

“Evidence shows the defendant made statements to law enforcement and the public indicating he destroyed the property because of the victim’s religion,” said Lynn Hicks, a spokesman for the Polk County Attorney’s Office. In doing so, he triggered the state’s “violation of individual rights” enhancement.

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The Register reports:

Hicks said in a statement that based on information from the Satanic Temple, the cost to replace or repair the statue would be between $750 and $1,500, making its destruction an aggravated misdemeanor. (In fact, the Temple has filed a damage estimate putting the cost to replace the statute at $3,000.) What makes the charge a felony, Hicks said, is the hate crime statute.

The installment of the pagan statue in the state capitol during the Christmas season drew instant, national criticism — precisely the kind of attention the Satanic Temple, not to be confused with the Church of Satan, was likely seeking with the offensive stunt.

“Like many Iowans, I find the Satanic Temple’s display in the Capitol absolutely objectionable,” Iowa’s Republican governor, Kim Reynolds said following its installation. “In a free society, the best response to objectionable speech is more speech, and I encourage all those of faith to join me today in praying over the Capitol and recognizing the nativity scene that will be on display – the true reason for the season.”

In destroying the statue, Cassidy acted with “conviction,” according to the GiveSendGo account that was set up to help with his legal fees.

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“Out of the millions of Christians in this nation, Cassidy was the first to act in bravery and conviction,” the page states. “He was not willing to see God reviled, especially in a building where lawmakers are supposed to honor Jesus Christ as King and look to his law for wisdom as they legislate with justice and righteousness.”

For many on X, the new charge is more proof of America’s two-tiered justice system under President Biden’s administration.

“Violent activists tore down dozens of statues including Columbus, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington. None were held accountable or charged with a hate crime,” stated the popular Libs of TikTok (LoT) account. “Michael Cassidy knocks over a Satan statue made out of household items and gets charged with a hate crime.”

“Welcome to America’s 2-tier-justice system,” LoT said. “The police state made it clear who they worship. Wokeness and Satanism is the new religion.”


“Christianity is under heavy attack—100%,” one user noted.

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“White Christians are being persecuted globally yet hardly anyone is calling this out,” said another user. “We know if a Satanist tore down a Christian statue they wouldn’t be charged with a hate crime. It’s this inconsistency of justice that’s tearing this country apart — and it’s getting worse.”

“This is nothing new!” cautioned a third. “This happened in Mao’s Cultural Revolution in the name of rebellion. Anyone who dared to question it would be regarded as counterrevolutionary & doomed to be imprisoned or worse!”


“A slow and subtle change from Christianity to satanism pushed by a few elites. That’s what happened,” one user wrote. “It’s time to take our country back.”

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Cassidy’s arraignment is set for February 15. If convicted, he “now faces five years in prison,” according to his GiveSendGo.

Melissa Fine
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