On Tuesday morning, Rep. Ellen Read, a Newmarket Democrat, was picking up the pieces of the vandalized goat-headed figure, three days after it was first unveiled on Main Street in Concord.

While the mayor and others have criticized the display as intentionally provocative, proponents contend they aim to promote rational thought, not denigrate Christianity.

Concord police are investigating two vandalism incidents to a permitted statue placed Saturday near the nativity scene on city property in front of the State House by the Satanic Temple Congregation for New Hampshire and Vermont.

Only the legs of the black mannequin remained upright, while the strewn head and torso were damaged. The entire display was removed Tuesday. The post Satanist holiday display near New Hampshire Nativity scene destroyed after apparent vandalism appeared first on Boston.

City officials said they had to decide “whether to ban all holiday displays” and opted instead to grant a permit for the Satanic display “to avoid litigation.”

A dark, horned figure with a goat’s head stands in front of the New Hampshire State House. It’s a holiday display installed by The Satanic Temple — near the city of Concord’s Nativity scene, according to the city’s Dec. 7 Facebook post.

Police in Concord are investigating after someone vandalized a Satanic Temple holiday display at the State House.

The city of Concord calls the decision to allow the Satanic Temple’s statue to go up a ‘show of unity and religious pluralism.’

New Hampshire's state capitol was forced to allow a Satanic "holiday display" under the threat of a free speech lawsuit before vandals tore it down. The Salem, Massachusetts-based Satanic Temple installed the display at the Concord City Hall Plaza across from the State House,