Judge orders Iowa to allow Satanic Temple event
The gist
A federal judge ordered Iowa to approve The Satanic Temple's Capitol holiday event by Dec. 12.
The state plans to appeal, so the fight over religious viewpoint in public spaces continues.
How it unfolded
- Dec 2023The Satanic Temple was permitted to hold a holiday display in the Iowa Capitol rotunda alongside other displays such as a Christian nativity scene.
- 2023A Satanic Temple Iowa display depicting the goat-headed figure Baphomet was vandalized, leading to increased scrutiny of the group.
- 2024The Satanic Temple Iowa's application for a display and event was rejected; the state denied permits in 2024, 2025 and 2026 despite granting permits to other religious groups, citing a planned Krampus costume contest.