Authorities investigating incidents at D.C. historic Black churches as possible hate crimes

Pro-Trump protesters in Washington, D.C.

(Image credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

published 14 December 2020

Police in Washington, D.C., on Sunday said they are investigating the burning of Black Lives Matter signs from two historic Black churches as possible hate crimes.

The incidents took place on Saturday night at the Asbury United Methodist Church and the Metropolitan A.M.E. Church. Supporters of President Trump took to the streets to protest the results of the election, which he lost, and there were some clashes at the end of the day between pro-Trump demonstrators and counter-protesters.

One video posted on Twitter appears to show a Black Lives Matter banner being torn down from the Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, The Associated Press reports, with a crowd chanting, "Whose streets? Our streets." In another recording, people are shown pouring accelerant on a Black Lives Matter banner that was at the Asbury United Methodist Church. The banner is then set on fire as members of the crowd cheer.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

"This weekend, we saw forces of hate seeking to use destruction and intimidation to tear us apart," District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser said. "We will not let that happen." The Rev. Dr. Ianther Mills, senior pastor at Asbury United Methodist Church, said in a statement it "pained me especially to see our name, Asbury, in flames. For me it was reminiscent of cross burnings. Seeing this act on video made me both indignant and determined to fight the evil that has reared its ugly head. We will move forward, undaunted in our assurance that Black Lives Matter and we are obligated to continue to shout that truth without ceasing."

Explore More

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Subscribe to The Week

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox