Navy Veteran Charged After Toppling Satanic Display
A U.S. Navy veteran, Michael Cassidy, who gained notoriety for toppling a satanic display at the Iowa state Capitol just before Christmas, is now facing charges of felony mischief and a hate crime. The 35-year-old, formerly a GOP candidate for the Mississippi House of Representatives, traveled to Des Moines and pushed over a Baphomet statue near a Nativity scene, erected by the Iowa chapter of The Satanic Temple.
Initially cited for fourth-degree criminal mischief, Cassidy’s charges have been elevated by the Polk County Attorney’s Office. He now faces felony third-degree mischief and a hate crime under Iowa state law. The decision to escalate the charges stems from evidence suggesting that Cassidy destroyed the property due to the victim’s religion, as stated by Lynn Hicks, a spokesman for the Polk County Attorney’s Office.
Cassidy tossed the silver ram’s head of the statue into the trash before surrendering to authorities. The estimated repair costs for the vandalized Baphomet statue range between $750 and $1,500. In response to the charges, Cassidy posted on social media, citing John 16:33 and expressing gratitude for the support he has received.
The hate crime charge is based on Iowa statute, encompassing criminal mischief committed against a person or their property due to factors such as race, religion, or political affiliation. The Polk County Attorney, Kimberly Graham, a Democrat elected in June 2022, has prioritized criminal justice reform and reducing incarceration rates.
The Baphomet statue had sparked controversy among Christian state lawmakers before Cassidy’s actions. While State Rep. Jon Dunwell found the altar objectionable but believed the government shouldn’t arbitrate religious displays, Rep. Brad Sherman argued that it violated the Iowa State Constitution. Iowa’s Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds denounced the statue without explicitly calling for its removal, advocating for more speech as a response to objectionable displays.
During an interview in December, Cassidy defended his actions, asserting that defending Satan on government property contradicts the beliefs of the Constitution’s framers. He emphasized the simplicity of his moral argument, stating that honoring God is right, while treating the devil as equal to a Nativity scene is wrong.
Cassidy’s legal defense fund, created to support his case, has garnered over $100,000 in contributions as of the latest update.
I cannot condone what he did, but certainly I understand why he did it. It would be no different than if he had destroyed a statue of Jesus.
Think back to when Jesus drove the money changers out of the temple! The big difference I see was that Jesus was real and this devil junk is not. The ten commandments teach that we shall have no other Gods before us! That applies then and NOW!
I’m glad he did it most people are going to be caught short because they ignore the truth and when the shit hits the fan they are going to die waiting on someone to come to the rescue and there not coming and the people who have been called crazy conspiracy theories will be the one’s prepared and the one’s most likely to survive see who is laughing now