Man accused of destroying Satanic Temple display at Iowa Capitol is now charged with hate crime

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — 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. Prosecutors have now upgraded the charges against Michael Cassidy to a felony under Iowa’s hate crimes law. Cassidy is a former congressional and legislative candidate from Mississippi. His lawyer isn’t commenting. The Satanic Temple says it doesn’t believe in Satan and advocates for secularism.