Court orders Iowa authorities to allow 'Satanic Temple' event at the Capitol

A federal district court has ordered the authorities of the American state of Iowa to grant the 'Satanic Temple' organization permission to hold a holiday event in the state Capitol rotunda. Chief District Judge Stephanie Rose concluded that the plaintiffs are highly likely to prove a violation of their right to free speech and ordered the director of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services to approve the application within seven days, as reported by The Guardian.

The lawsuit against state officials was filed by the organization and the leader of its local chapter in August, alleging discrimination. Members of the Republican Party, who maintain control over the governor's office and both chambers of the Iowa legislature, have for several years rejected such requests, citing building rules that prohibit obscene materials and the display of violence. The office of the state's Attorney General, Brenna Bird, has already announced its intention to appeal the federal court's decision.

In December 2023, the organization's holiday installation at the Capitol was subjected to vandalism, after which officials denied the group approval for a new event the following year. The planned program includes costumes of the European folklore character Krampus, choral singing, coloring for children, and the making of Christmas ornaments. Authorities attempted to justify the ban by claiming that elements of the costumes could scare children or serve as weapons, but the judge found such arguments insufficient to cancel the entire event.

The 'Satanic Temple' organization was founded in 2013 in Salem, Massachusetts. The group positions itself as a non-theistic movement that advocates for secularism and the separation of church and state. Activists emphasize that they do not believe in Satan, but use this image as a symbol of protecting personal sovereignty and fighting against religious authoritarianism.