Satanists put up display in Minnesota Capitol, praise 'religious plurality'
Satanists erected a satanic display in the Minnesota Capitol in St. Paul last week, prompting outrage and accusations that the state's Democratic Gov. Tim Walz should do more to prevent such displays.
"Thanks to all the hard work from our Congregation, especially Calcifer, for helping us set up Minnesota Satanists' first-ever holiday display at the state Capitol in Saint Paul!" a group called Minnesota Satanists wrote in a Facebook post celebrating their display. "HAIL RELIGIOUS PLURALITY!!! HAIL SATAN!!!"
The display features a phoenix, an inverted pentagram and the text of The Mass of the Phoenix, which is a ritual that featured in the work of famous British occultist Aleister Crowley.
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Minnesota satanists say they have set up their "first ever holiday display" at the Minnesota Capitol Building pic.twitter.com/RECUQ3cQEK
— Alpha News (@AlphaNewsMN) December 15, 2024
Minnesota Satanists is a group that was first given affiliation as a chapter of The Satanic Temple in 2019 but broke off from them earlier this year to become their own organization, according to their website.
The phoenix statue drew criticism from some Republican state legislators, such as state Rep. Tom Emmer, who blamed Walz for allowing it, as noted by Newsweek.
“Is there anything Tim Walz won’t do to insult Minnesotans?” Emmer tweeted.
State Rep. Pete Stauber, also a Republican, tweeted, "When you get a DFL [Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party] trifecta, you get a Satanic display at our state Capitol. During the holidays… what a disgrace. Only in Walz's Minnesota."
Walz has yet to make any public comments about the display.
News of the satanic display inside the Minnesota Capitol comes a week after a similar display was destroyed outside the New Hampshire state House less than 48 hours after it was put up.
The statue in New Hampshire depicted a black-clad figure of the demon Baphomet with glowing eyes clutching a bouquet of purple lilacs in its right hand, which symbolized the state flower of New Hampshire. It was also adorned with a purple stole emblazoned with the inverted pentagram, goat's head of the TST logo, and two inverted crosses.
At the base of the statue was a tablet listing the seven tenets of The Satanic Temple, and to its left was a black and white satanic flag.
The statue was repeatedly vandalized and destroyed last Monday night, prompting an ongoing police investigation.
The city of Concord had released a statement claiming they approved the permit for the statue to "avoid litigation," though the town's Democratic Mayor Byron Champlin expressed disapproval of the statue during a city council meeting, according to New Hampshire Public Radio.
In Iowa, the Iowa Department of Administrative Services (DAS) "forcibly canceled" an event planned by The Satanic Temple of Iowa, the group alleged Friday, according to the Des Moines Register.
"We have made every effort to work with them (Iowa DAS) 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 Satanic Temple of Iowa announced on Facebook last Friday.
Last year, a statue of Baphomet prompted outrage after being put up near a Nativity scene in the Iowa Capitol in Des Moines.
Michael Cassidy, the U.S. Navy veteran who toppled the statue last year after traveling to Des Moines from Mississippi, celebrated the resistance that satanic celebrations were receiving this Christmas season.
“One year ago today,” Cassidy tweeted Sunday to mark the one-year anniversary of his toppling of the Iowa statue. "Glad that Satanic icons were rejected this year in both Iowa, by wise civil leaders, and New Hampshire, by a kindred spirit. All glory to God."
One year ago today.
— Michael Cassidy ?? ???????? (@MichaelCassidy) December 15, 2024
Glad that Satanic icons were rejected this year in both Iowa, by wise civil leaders, and New Hampshire, by a kindred spirit.
All glory to God. pic.twitter.com/CUASIHFCaD
Cassidy pleaded guilty to criminal mischief in May in exchange for having the hate crime charge against him dropped. During an interview with The Christian Post last December, Cassidy claimed he did the right thing and insisted legislators are overcomplicating evil by suggesting that the U.S. Constitution protects devil worship on government property.
Jon Brown is a reporter for The Christian Post. Send news tips to jon.brown@christianpost.com
