Michael Cassidy Charged With Hate Crime For Destroying Baphomet Statue at Iowa Capitol
Former congressional candidate and Christian nationalist hero Michael Cassidy has been charged with a hate crime for destroying the Baphomet statue at the Iowa Capitol last December.
Controversy arose last month after a petition by the Satanic Temple of Iowa, under the guidelines of the Iowa legislature, allowed Satanists to place an idol of Baphomet, a winged, goat-headed, trans-human figure, on display in the vicinity of nativity displays on the first floor of the Iowa Capitol.
The display drew the ire of many Christians, who lamented the blasphemy of placing an idol in the capitol as a sign of the impending judgment of God upon the nation. Some conservative Republicans, while lamenting the statue as blasphemous, defended the existence of the display on the grounds of constitutional freedom of religious expression.
On Thursday December 14, Cassidy, a Christian, Navy Reserve Instructor Pilot and self-described America First Conservative, walked into the Iowa capital building and smashed Baphomet, decapitating the idol before stuffing its head into a nearby trashcan.
While Cassidy promptly turned himself in to capitol police and was initially charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief, raising over $80,000 through crowdfunding for his defense, those charges have now been elevated to a more severe nature.
Polk County prosecutors have charged him with felony third-degree criminal mischief with a hate crime enhancement.
According to sources, “Criminal mischief in the third degree, which is an aggravated misdemeanor” is “punishable by up to two years in prison and a $8,540 fine”
Cassidy is scheduled to be arraigned on February 15.
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outrageous
The U.S. has a 2-tier justice system and it is used to demoralize people because the last thing they want you to do is actually do something.
“Some conservative Republicans, while lamenting the statue as blasphemous, defended the existence of the display on the grounds of constitutional freedom of religious expression.”
LOL
I never thought I would live long enough to see our government allow shrines venerating Satan in public places or punishing a Christian with destroying same…