MAGA protestors attack Historic Black churches in D.C.
D.C. police declined to say whether any arrests were made in the cases
Late Saturday night, pro-Trump demonstrators were seen on video ripping and setting fire to Black Lives Matter banners at two African American churches in D.C., according to the Washington Post.
According to the Black Lives Matter organization, the group targeted Ashbury United Methodist Church, which has stood at the corner of 11th and and K Streets NW since 1836, and is the oldest African American church to remain at its original site. They also attacked Metropolitan AME Church.
A series of videos depicting the violence were posted to Twitter. One incident shows the far-right group known as the Proud Boys, marching with a Black Lives Matter banner held above their heads as they chanted, “F— antifa” and set it on fire.
Read More: Four historically Black churches in a Louisiana set on fire in 10 Days
“Last night demonstrators who were part of the MAGA gatherings tore down our Black Lives Matter sign and literally burned it in the street,” senior pastor Rev. Ianther M. Mills said in a statement. “It pained me especially to see our name, Asbury, in flames. For me it was reminiscent of cross burnings.”
According to WaPo, D.C. police declined to say whether any arrests were made in the cases, but said they are investigating them as possible hate crimes.
“We take these offesnses seriously and we are currently investigating them as a possible hate crime,” said police spokeswoman Alaina Gertz.
Believing that white supremacists are behind the attack on Black churches in D.C., leaders of the Black Lives Matter organization are calling on the Justice Department to open a federal civil rights investigation into the matter.
Read More: North Carolina man gets 2 years for threatening to burn Black church
“Yesterday, D.C. was invaded by white supremacists who were aided and protected by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD),” said April Goggans, a core organizer with Black Lives Matter DC in a statement.
She went on to say that she doesn’t expect MPD to protect Black people and she accused the police department of protecting white supremacists as they threatened lives, damaged historic churches and destroyed and burned property.
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