The fire at the 111-year-old Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church in Greenville was reported after 11 p.m. Tuesday. Fire crews arrived to find a charred church defaced with pro-Trump propaganda.
Local and federal agencies are investigating the arson as a hate crime, authorities announced at a Wednesday press conference. Police have not identified any suspects.
Greenville Mayor Errick Simmons said he is concerned for the city’s residents, about 65% of whom are black.
“We are well aware of the signs and signals of burning black churches, they were strategies used in the 50’s and 60’s to invoke fear and impeach upon peoples’ rights – including their rights and freedom to worship,” Simmons said.
Additional patrols are planned for city churches in the coming days, as well as extra security for voting booths during next week’s election, Simmons said.
The fire follows a September incident in which a racial slur was found written on a city boat ramp.
A GoFundMe account, created to help the church with repair costs, raised more than $30,000 in the hours after it was posted.
The creator of the account wrote in its description, “the potent racial history of burning black churches as a political symbol makes this event something we must not ignore.”
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