US man accused of destroying Satanic Temple statue charged with hate crime

Michael Cassidy charged under Iowa's hate crime statute after figure depicting Baphomet destroyed beyond repair' in December

A Mississippi man accused of destroying a statue of a pagan idol at Iowa's state capitol is now being charged with a hate crime.

The statue was brought to the capitol by the Satanic Temple of Iowa under state rules allowing religious displays in the building during the holidays. The move drew strong criticism from state and national leaders, including the Iowa governor, Kim Reynolds, and the Florida governor and former presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, both Republicans. On 14 December, the figure depicting the horned deity Baphomet was destroyed beyond repair", according to the group.