Judge orders Iowa to permit Satanic Temple holiday event at state capitol

A federal judge has mandated that Iowa state officials permit a Satanic Temple organization to host a holiday event in the state capitol rotunda, following years of denial of their application. The religious group and Republican state officials have been embroiled in a legal dispute over the group's repeated attempts to hold holiday events at the capitol.

Iowa Republicans argue that the capitol's policies against gratuitous violence and obscene displays justify denying the applications. The Satanic Temple, founded in Massachusetts in 2013, describes itself as a non-theistic religious organization that promotes secularism and separation from the Church of Satan. In December 2023, the group held a religious holiday display in the capitol, but it was damaged by a Christian military veteran.

The group's proposed event for the following year would feature Krampus costumes, caroling, activities for children, and ornament making. State officials cited weaponized sticks in the costumes and child safety policies as reasons for denial, but Judge Stephanie M. Rose ruled that these arguments are not valid and ordered the Iowa Department of Administrative Services to approve the application within seven days.

Republicans in Iowa, who control the governorship and both chambers of the state legislature, plan to appeal the judge's decision. The state's attorney general's office stated that they intend to challenge the ruling.