A man beheaded a satanist statue on display at the Iowa state capitol on Thursday. He turned himself in to the authorities afterward and was charged with criminal mischief.

For Context: The Satanic Temple, which describes its aims as being to "encourage benevolence and empathy, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense, oppose injustice, and undertake noble pursuits," previously obtained permission to erect a statue of a goat-headed figure at the Iowa state capitol, drawing backlash from the state’s Christian residents and lawmakers.

Details: Michael Cassidy, a 35-year-old Navy Reserve instructor pilot who ran an unsuccessful campaign for Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District seat in 2022, tore off the statue’s head and knocked it over. The Temple stated that the damage done is beyond repair. Following the incident, Cassidy told a reporter, "I saw this blasphemous statue and was outraged. My conscience is held captive to the word of God, not to bureaucratic decree. And so I acted."

How the Media Covered It: Coverage from The Guardian (Lean Left bias) stated that the Satanic Temple "makes clear that its members do not actually worship the devil nor do they believe in either Satan’s existence or the supernatural. Instead Satan is used as a symbol of free will, humanism and anti-authoritarianism." This description was not seen in coverage from The Western Journal (Right bias), which did not include any quotes from the temple and compared Cassidy’s words to those of Martin Luther.