Federal Judge Orders Iowa to Allow Satanic Temple Capitol Event

Federal Judge Orders Iowa State Officials to Allow Satanic Temple Holiday Event in State Capitol

A federal judge on Monday ordered Iowa state officials to permit the Satanic Temple Iowa to host a holiday event inside the State Capitol rotunda, concluding years of rejections by Republican leaders. Chief District Judge Stephanie M. Rose issued the order requiring the Iowa Department of Administrative Services to approve the group’s application within seven days. Attorney General Brenna Bird’s office stated that state officials intend to appeal the ruling.

Arguments Over Capitol Policies and Free Speech Protection

For several years, Republican leaders in Iowa barred the Satanic Temple from holding holiday observances in the Capitol building, pointing to policies that ban gratuitous violence and obscene displays. In August, the religious organization and the leader of its Iowa organization filed a federal lawsuit accusing state officials of violating their constitutional rights and state law by repeatedly rejecting their applications.

Judge Rose found that the Satanic Temple was likely to succeed on its free speech claim. The organization planned an event featuring European folklore costumes of Krampus, alongside caroling, children’s coloring, and ornament-making. State leaders argued that the props and costumes, which involved sticks, posed safety concerns and that the Krampus character might frighten children present in the public building.

Rejecting those justifications, Judge Rose wrote that concern over the Krampus character frightening children is “not a permissible basis for excluding speech.” She added that concerns surrounding sticks carried as part of the costumes “cannot justify denying the entire event.” The judge noted that the state department could subject the group’s props to the building’s regular security screening, applying the same conditions used for other events.

Attorney Criticizes State Officials for Denying Religious Group

The Satanic Temple Iowa is represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa. Matt Kezhaya, an attorney representing the religious group, criticized the state’s prior denials in a public statement.

“Too often, fear or misunderstanding of the ‘other’ is amplified by petty governmental bureaucrats looking to score cheap political points by portraying unfamiliar beliefs as ‘dangerous,’” Kezhaya said.

Founded in 2013 and based in Salem, Massachusetts, the organization describes itself as a non-theistic religious group that advocates for secularism and does not believe in Satan. It operates separately from the Church of Satan, which was established in the 1960s. Holiday displays inside the Iowa Statehouse typically feature a Christmas tree and other religious installations in the rotunda. The Satanic Temple Iowa’s display, which depicted the goat-headed figure Baphomet, was vandalized three years ago, leading to increased scrutiny on the group and its observances before their application for a display and event was rejected in 2024.

State Officials Plan to Challenge Federal Court Order

Attorney General Brenna Bird’s office confirmed plans to challenge the federal court order. Meanwhile, spokespeople for Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Administrative Services did not immediately respond to requests for comment.