Overview

• Michael Cassidy, a 35-year-old Navy veteran and former Mississippi congressional candidate, has been charged with a hate crime after admitting to beheading a Satanic Temple statue that was on display in the Iowa State Capitol in December.
• The Satanic Temple of Iowa had received permission from the state to display a Baphomet statue in the state capitol building, which drew strong criticism from state and national leaders.
• Cassidy was initially charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief, a misdemeanor, but the Polk County Attorney’s Office later upgraded the charge to third-degree criminal mischief in violation of individual rights, a class D felony, under Iowa’s hate crime statute.
• Cassidy, a Christian, told the conservative website The Sentinel that he destroyed the statue to 'awaken Christians to the anti-Christian acts promoted by our government'.
• Cassidy's arraignment is set for February 15, and he has raised more than $84,000 for his defense from nearly 2,000 supporters, according to the fundraising site GiveSendGo.