(MENAFN) A former Republican Congressional candidate from Mississippi, Michael Cassidy, is now facing criminal mischief charges for allegedly destroying a statue of the pagan deity Baphomet in the Iowa State Capitol. The statue, erected by the Satanic Temple as part of their Christmas display, was beheaded and toppled by Cassidy, who argues that his actions were a response to what he perceives as the legitimization of Satan within the Capitol. The incident has reignited debates over the boundaries of religious expression and freedom of speech, as Satanists claim their symbols are protected by the US Constitution.

Cassidy's arrest occurred on Thursday, and he now faces a potential maximum sentence of one year in prison and a USD2,560 fine if convicted of fourth-degree criminal mischief. The crimson-robed statue depicted a figure with a man's body and a horned goat's head holding a wicker pentacle, symbolizing Baphomet, commonly associated with occultism and Satanism.

In a statement to conservative news site The Sentinel, Cassidy expressed outrage at the statue, stating, "The world may tell Christians to submissively accept the legitimization of Satan, but none of the founders would have considered government sanction of Satanic altars inside Capitol buildings as protected by the First Amendment." He justified his actions by asserting that his conscience is guided by the word of God.

The Satanic Temple, a registered religious group, erected the statue under state rules allowing various religions to display their symbols during the Christmas period. Republican lawmakers and Christian activists had previously called for the statue's removal, but Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, also a Republican, maintained that the United States Constitution obligated her to leave it in place. The incident has sparked renewed discussions about the intersection of religious expression, constitutional rights, and the role of different beliefs in public spaces.

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