Michael Cassidy, the Christian veteran who made headlines last year for decapitating a Satanic shrine on display in the Iowa State Capitol building, has been charged with a “hate crime.”
In December, Cassidy beheaded the Satanic Baphomet statue at the Iowa State Capitol on Thursday.
The statue caused outrage after the Satanic Temple received permission to place it on display at the Iowa State Capitol.
🚨 Christian veteran BEHEADS and tears down the Satanic l Statue at the Iowa State Capitol pic.twitter.com/EVVxPGfFqa
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) December 14, 2023
Cassidy said he destroyed the statue to “awaken Christians to the anti-Christian acts promoted by our government.”
However, objecting to Satanic displays makes you a “hateful” person.
Rather than charging Caddidy with a misdemeanor damage to property or vandalism, prosecutors charged the veteran with felony third-degree criminal mischief, arguing that the act was “in violation of individual rights” under Iowa’s hate crime statute.
According to a statement from the Polk County Attorney’s Office:
“Evidence shows the defendant made statements to law enforcement and the public indicating he destroyed the property because of the victim’s religion.”
Cassidy is currently raising money for his legal defense.
His GiveSendGo page notes:
“Out of the millions of Christians in this nation, Cassidy was the first to act in bravery and conviction.”
“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.”
The Satanic Temple describes itself as a non-theistic organization and claims it uses Satanic imagery to “encourage benevolence.”
The organization said on its website:
“The mission of The Satanic Temple is to encourage benevolence and empathy among all people, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense, oppose injustice, and undertake noble pursuits.”
Recently, the Satanic Temple cited the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to overturn a set of pro-life laws in Missouri.
However, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear it.
