Inver Grove Heights man cited for damaging Easter display outside Capitol
The Minnesota State Patrol says an Inver Grove Heights man damaged an Easter display outside the Capitol this week, according to a citation filed against him Thursday.
Capitol Security dispatchers could see a man on camera 'destroying' a display on the building's front lawn on Monday afternoon, the citation said. The display, which had a permit, included a wooden cross and the Ten Commandments, according to a State Patrol spokesman.
A trooper arrived as the man was walking away from the display.
He told the trooper the display 'was hate speech and didn't know damaging it was against the law.' He also said he didn't know it 'belonged to anyone and thought it was just left outside,' the trooper wrote in the citation.
The wooden cross was broken and part of the display was missing.
The trooper cited the man, 36, for misdemeanor criminal damage to property.
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