The man accused of tearing down a Christian Easter display outside the Minnesota Capitol earlier this year has been identified.
Matthew Patrick Norby, of Inver Grove Heights, has been charged with criminal damage to property, a misdemeanor, for allegedly destroying a permitted Easter display. The display included a wooden cross and Ten Commandments plaque and was located on the Capitol lawn during the Eid al-Fitr break.
Alpha News first reported on the incident in March after Rep. Mike Wiener, R-Long Prairie, discovered the damage when he arrived to drop off paperwork.
Wiener had helped build the display as a peaceful public affirmation of Christian faith after a Satanic display caused controversy inside the Capitol over Christmas.
After frustration from a Satanic display over Christmas, the Ten Commandments can now be seen outside the Minnesota State Capitol.
Dan Hall Ministries and Restore Minnesota will sponsor displays over the next month leading up to Easter. ✝️ pic.twitter.com/4B7G54wXyK
— Liz Collin (@lizcollin) March 25, 2025
Security footage and police report detail destruction
According to a citation reviewed by Alpha News, Capitol security dispatchers spotted a white male in a black jacket on camera “destroying the Easter holiday display on the front lawn of the Capitol building.”
When confronted by authorities, Norby reportedly said the display was “hate speech” and claimed he “didn’t know damaging it was against the law.”
He also stated that he believed it “didn’t belong to anyone” and “was just left outside.”
The report notes that “the wooden cross was broken into several pieces and parts of the display were missing.”
Officials confirmed the display had been permitted by the Department of Administration.
A sign reading “All out of f—s, switching to bricks” was also left behind at the scene.
“Is this a hate crime?”
Rep. Mike Wiener, R-Long Prairie, discovered the damage when he arrived to drop off paperwork. He had helped build the display as a peaceful public affirmation of Christian faith after a Satanic display caused controversy inside the Capitol over Christmas.
“This is very disappointing. Is this a hate crime?” Wiener told Alpha News at the time. “What kind of message does this send to Christians in Minnesota?”
Norby is scheduled to appear in Ramsey County court for a pre-trial hearing on July 8.
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
