The Minnesota Satanists' holiday display at the State Capitol is located in a hallway just north of the building's main rotunda. Photos: Kyle Stokes/Axios
State of play: A spokesperson for the Department of Administration confirmed that the group got permission to put the orange phoenix just outside the rotunda.
"A permit for a First Amendment protected speech event does not imply an endorsement by the State," he added.
Friction point: Several Republicans criticized the set up on social media, with U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber calling it a "disgrace" and blaming the DFL trifecta.
A spokesperson for Gov. Tim Walz spokesperson said while the governor "does not agree with the display and did not approve it... the First Amendment means that he does not police speech in the State Capitol."
What they're saying: The Minnesota Satanists, who say they see Satan as a symbol of revolt against "arbitrary authority and oppression," characterized their first display at the Minnesota Capitol as a win for religious pluralism.
Congregation leader Asmodeus Sion told Axios the group wanted to exercise its free speech rights and bring "joy and beauty to the community" through a piece that "symbolizes rebirth, empowerment, and self-determination."
In response to the criticism, Sion said they celebrate "differences of opinion and religious practice."
