Judge Orders Iowa to Allow Satanic Temple Holiday Event at Capitol

A court order for a one-day event

November 3, 2026, 11:30 a.m. Central

A federal judge has ordered Iowa officials to approve the Satanic Temple’s planned December 12 holiday event in the state Capitol rotunda, finding that the group is likely to succeed on its free speech claim.

Chief U.S. District Judge Stephanie Rose’s Monday order is a preliminary injunction, not a final judgment. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird’s office told The Associated Press that the state intends to appeal. A filed appeal has not been confirmed in this report.

Why the judge ruled for the group

The court said Iowa’s Department of Administrative Services had denied the organization’s holiday event applications for three consecutive years. The department argued that the event’s costume contest, featuring Krampus, a figure from European folklore, would harm children, the order says.

Rose wrote that concern about whether the character could frighten children was not a permissible reason to exclude speech. She also found the asserted risk from costume sticks did not justify denying the whole event. The group said the sticks were part of the costumes’ appearance.

The judge directed department director Mark Campbell to approve the submitted application within seven days. Her order allows only conditions applied to other indoor Capitol events, such as security and insurance requirements; props remain subject to the same screening as other items.

How the dispute began

The Satanic Temple describes itself as a non-theistic religious organization, AP reported. Its 2023 holiday display in the rotunda included a Baphomet figure that was vandalized, according to the court order. The group’s later holiday-event applications were denied.

The planned event includes caroling, coloring, ornament making and a costume contest, the court said. The organization and its Iowa leader sued in August, alleging violations of constitutional and state-law rights. The ACLU of Iowa, which represents the plaintiffs, welcomed the order.

The injunction rests on the free speech claim; the judge did not decide the other claims at this stage. An intended appeal is not itself a reversal or stay of the order.

Where the event is planned

The Iowa State Capitol is in Des Moines. The star marks the approximate building location; it does not identify a room or an event entrance.

Map: OpenStreetMap contributors. Location cross-check: Mapcarta.

How the case reached court

December 2023 A permitted Satanic Temple display at the Capitol was vandalized, the court said.
March 2026 The group submitted its application for a December 12 event, according to the order.
August 13, 2026 The group and its Iowa leader filed their federal lawsuit.
October 6, 2026 The court held an evidentiary hearing.
November 2, 2026 Judge Rose granted a preliminary injunction and directed approval of the application.

Source: court order. Dates reflect the court’s account.