FIRE & FURY
Multiple churches ‘burned and vandalized’ across US as cops investigate possible links to statue protests
A NUMBER of Catholic churches have been torched and vandalized in the US as cops investigate whether this is linked to the ongoing statue protests.
Houses of worship are being burned after's police custody death in on May 25, which sparked widespread outrage and anti-racism rallies.
activist Shaun King urged demonstrators to "tear" down Jesus Christ statues and murals because he said they are "a form of white supremacy" on.
While all over the country, Christian statues are reportedly being vandalized and churches have been set on fire.
CALIFORNIA
In the city of , the San Gabriel Mission, a 249-year-old Catholic church, was engulfed in flames in the early hours of Saturday morning.
reported that firefighters and emergency responders fought the blaze for three hours as the ancient ceiling and roof began to cave in.
The church was preparing to mark its upcoming 250th anniversary celebration before the alleged arson attack, causing severe water and smoke damage.
It came under criticism because of the surrounding statues of St Junipero Serra, which have been toppled by BLM protesters in other areas.
Critics say the 18th-century Franciscan priest was complicit in an imperial conquest that oppressed Native Americans.
"One of the factors investigators are taking into account is the recent vandalism to the statues of the saint, specifically in the Los Angeles region," San Gabriel Fire Department fire captain Antonio Negrete said.
“This will be another box that they’re going to check off,” he told Fox11. "It's a tragic loss for our city. It's our city identifier."
Elsewhere, in San Diego, the police department’s Metro Arson Strike Team are investigating a "suspicious" 12.30 pm blaze at Calvary Baptist church on Sunday.
Although it's a historically Black church, it has become a “multi-cultural faith community," as per its website.
FLORIDA
Around the same time as the LA blaze, a man in mowed his vehicle into the Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Ocala ahead of morning Mass on Saturday.
Steven Anthony Shields, 24, from Dunnellon allegedly poured gasoline in the foyer, set the building on fire, and drove off, as per the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
He was arrested and charged with attempted murder, arson, burglary, and evading arrest.
Shields described the incident as "awesome," saying he was on a "mission" as he smiled and laughed, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by the Ocala Star-Banner.
He cited issues with the Catholic Church but Shields also reportedly has schizophrenia and isn't taking his medication.
Nevertheless, Mass was celebrated Saturday and Sunday, local outlets said, despite the damage to the foyer.
MISSOURI
Elsewhere, authorities are looking into a suspected arson attack in Johnson County, where a 100-year-old church went up in flames.
Harmony Baptist Church was burned to the ground at 11.22 pm on July 5, according to Johnson County Fire Protection District.
It took over two hours for firefighters from four stations and 50,000 gallons of water to get a handle on the raging blaze, which caused between $400,000 and $500,000 of damage.
Security camera footage shows the arson suspect parking outside and then entering the building before setting the building alight, local reports said.
“The loss of the historic church will have a lasting effect on the rural community and members of the church," Fire Chief Larry Jennings told The Sun.
"It will take a community effort to identify those responsible for the fire and to help the congregation as they move forward.”
It isn't known if this arson attack is connected with the ongoing protests and Jennings said there is no current evidence to suggest it is related as the probe continues.
But it's not just churches that are going up in flames.
MASSACHUSETTS
In , cops are investigating a suspected arson attack on a statue of the Virgin Mary on Saturday night.
reported that the statue is located outside St Peter’s Parish in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood.
Police responded to a fire on Bowdin Street at around 10 pm on July 11.
The statue of Mary sustained heavy damage after an unknown individual set fire to the plastic flower's in the statue's hands.
This caused smoke and flame damage to the face, head, and upper body of the statue.
A spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Boston described the unknown culprit as "a troubled soul."
"Boston Fire Department has just begun its investigation, so we don’t have a sense what was the reason behind this action," Terrence C. Donilon, their Secretary for Communications & Public Affairs, told The Sun.
"That said, whoever is responsible for the desecration of the Holy Mother’s statue is clearly a troubled soul.
"Mary represents all that is good and pure in our world. We have confidence in local law enforcement to investigate this matter. We pray for the person or persons responsible."
NEW YORK
Another Blessed Virgin Mary statue outside in was desecrated on July 10 with the word “IDOL."
The NYPD confirmed that they are investigating the vandalization of the statue, which occurred shortly after 3am on Friday, July 10.
On the security footage, someone can be seen approaching the 100-year-old statue and spray painting the word across it, before fleeing the scene.
The NYPD have appealed to the public for help in identifying the culprit of this "criminal mischief incident."
Rector and president of Cathedral Prep Fr James Kuroly told The Sun this vandalism was “an act of hatred" on Tuesday.
"I don't think there's a connection per say [with the protests] like it's organized," he said.
"I do think it's where we are as a society and as a country where there has been so much division and so much focus on what separates us and when we focus on that division, it leads to ignorance and it leads to acts of hatred.
"It really does symbolize the state of affairs that we are in right now as a society," he added. ";There has certainly been an outpouring of support [from the local community]."
Anyone with information about the spray painted statue should call the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), submit their tips on their , on Twitter @NYPDTips, or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
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