Satanic holiday display at Iowa Capitol denied by state

DES MOINES — A year after a Satanic holiday display in the Iowa Capitol’s rotunda was damaged, state officials denied this year’s event, citing concerns over obscenity and a potential harm to children.

The Iowa Department of Administrative Services, the state office that coordinates events at the Capitol, did not approve last weekend’s Satanic Temple of Iowa’s holiday celebration, which was set to include satanic holiday carols, a satanic altar and a Krampus costume contest.

The Satanic Temple of Iowa alleged the department “forcibly canceled” the event in a statement Saturday on the organization’s Facebook page.

“We have made every effort to work with them to ensure a successful event, but after over two months on the official Capitol events calendar we have been informed that our event will no longer be allowed,” the group wrote. “Our goal was to promote tolerance and acceptance of diverse religious beliefs, with a theme of finding a light in the darkness and welcoming the darkest nights of the year with joy and camaraderie.”

The temple’s display in the Capitol was permitted last year by state rules that allow religious displays in the building during the holiday season. This year, state officials pointed to a section of the memorandum of understanding the department signs with organizations that bars displays at the Capitol if they are considered obscene.

"After careful consideration of administrative rule and DAS policy, I determined the totality of the event request to include elements that are harmful to minors and therefore denied the request," Director of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services Adam Steen said in a statement.

The department noted that the memorandum of understanding between the office and the Satanic Temple of Iowa was never signed by state officials, adding that the group was notified Dec. 10 its request was not approved.

Gov. Kim Reynolds, who stated last year that she disagreed with the display but called on opponents to engage in speech and prayer rather than removing it, said this year's display was denied because it is harmful to minors.

"Our state government is always going to be concerned about the wellbeing of children. The Iowa State Capitol Complex is a place that is open to the public, where children and families routinely visit,” Reynolds said in a statement. “Because of this, the State's event policy takes into consideration conduct that would be harmful to minors. This satanic event, which specifically targets children, is harmful to minors and so it was denied."

The Satanic Temple plans to ask the department to reconsider allowing the display in the rotunda this Saturday, according to the group’s general counsel, Matt Kezhaya.

This year’s display was set to be similar to last year’s, with an inverted pentagram, poinsettias and the statue head of horned deity Baphomet, which was damaged last year by Michael Cassidy, a former political candidate from Mississippi.

Cassidy later was charged with a felony under Iowa's hate crime statute. He pleaded guilty to an aggravated misdemeanor of third-degree criminal mischief in May and was sentenced to probation.