Satanists' holiday display at Minnesota Capitol sparks outrage
ST. PAUL, Minn. — A Satanic holiday display at the Minnesota State Capitol has some sounding the alarm but Gov. Tim Walz says he can't take it down as it is protected by the First Amendment.
Minnesota Satanists applied through the Department of Administration, which manages the capitol grounds, to set it up near the first floor rotunda from Dec. 13 through 27, according to the permit obtained by WCCO.
One person commented on a Facebook post, calling it "disgusting and shameful." Another declared: "Nothing is more American than religious freedom for all."
The group says on its website that members "champion the symbol of Lucifer as one of revolt against arbitrary authority and advocacy for the pursuit of knowledge." The group says members don't directly worship Satan or believe in Satan; instead, they called the display a win for "religious plurality."
Some elected Republicans like U.S. Reps. Tom Emmer, the majority whip in the House, and Pete Stauber criticized DFL Gov. Tim Walz for allowing the display, although he does not sign off on such matters.
In a statement, a spokesperson for his office said he disagrees with the display, but said he "does not police speech" in the state capitol because of First Amendment protections. A spokesman for the Department of Administration said issuing the permit is not an endorsement by state government.
On Wednesday — a week from Christmas Day — a group of Christians sang holiday hymns like "Joy to the World" and "Silent Night" and said prayers near the display, but vowed they would not tear it down.
"My faith tells me that Christ overcame the grave so I can't change the fact that it's here but I can lend my voice ce that I'm not on board with the message behind it," said Rep. Jim Nash, R-Waconia, who attended the event.
He and Rep. Harry Niska, R-Ramsey, both said the display was offensive and deliberate affront to Christians as they celebrate the birth of Jesus, a central tenet of their faith.
But they also agreed that while it is insulting to them, there is nothing the state can—or should—do about the display because of the group's constitutional right to have it there.
"Freedom of speech is freedom of speech and it means expressing any beliefs, including those I think are offensive or that I think are wrong," Niska said.
In a statement, the Minnesota Satanists said they intend to keep the display up as long as the permit allows through Dec. 27 and that the group celebrates that Minnesotans and Americans "are all allowed to have differences of opinion and religious practice as guaranteed by the constitution,"
"We are glad that multiple viewpoints are covered in this year's Capitol displays," the group said.
There is a Christmas tree in the rotunda. The Department of Administration spokesperson said in an email that a Menorah commemorating Hanukkah will be on display beginning next week and there was a Nativity scene on the capitol's front lawn through this past Sunday. Those were all requests.
Last December, the Satanic Temple put up a display inside the Iowa Capitol in Des Moines that a former U.S. Navy fighter pilot was later accused of destroying. Similar to the Minnesota Satanists, the Satanic Temple says it doesn't believe in Satan but describes itself as a "non-theistic religious organization" that advocates for secularism.
