A Person Is in Custody in a Chicago Cross Burning Investigation, Police Say
Chicago police are investigating the fire as arson, and Father Michael Pfleger offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
- On Tuesday, Chicago police confirmed a person of interest is in custody regarding the June 9 cross-burning in Grant Park, though authorities have not filed formal charges.
- University of Illinois Chicago senior Merlin Lu admitted to NBC 5 he set the fire, claiming the act was a protest against Trump and MAGA supporters rather than a hate crime.
- Father Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Church condemned the incident as a 'decades-old symbol of hate,' with the church offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
- Although Lu identified himself to media, Chicago police have not officially confirmed he is the person in custody, citing department protocols that restrict releasing suspect names until charges are filed.
- The Anti-Defamation League classifies burning crosses as among the 'most potent hate symbols,' citing historical use by the Ku Klux Klan for racial intimidation, while the Luv Institute reinstalled the 'Resilient' art piece in Grant Park as a counter-narrative.
121 Articles
121 Articles
Person Behind KKK Cross Burning in Chicago Turns Out to Be Trump-Hating Asian Man
A giant wooden cross was set on fire in Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois, on 9 June. The burning cross has unequivocal racial connotations in American culture: the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan group used to deploy this method in the US to intimidate people of colour living in their communities. The violent practice started in the early 20th century with the Klan’s resurgence period under President Woodrow Wilson, but largely subsided after the …
Man who burned cross in Chicago park, calling it a protest against Trump, charged with hate crime
The man told a local television station that he had placed a MAGA hat on the cross and intended the act to be a protest of the "ruling class" and Christian nationalists who support Trump.
“The Impact was Devastating”: Chicago’s Cross Burning Found to be Set by Liberal, Anti-Trump Protester
After the Southern Poverty Law Center scandal of actually funding and encouraging racist protests, it appears that at least one individual has created his own orchestrated racist incident. In Chicago (where Jussie Smollett committed his infamous racist hoax), a burning cross was denounced by Mayor Brandon Johnson as a sign of the racism in society.…
Winnipeg Free Press
Man who admitted setting cross on fire in Chicago park is charged with a hate crime
A 21-year-old man has been charged with a hate crime, arson and other offenses for a cross that was set on fire in a Chicago park, police said.
College Student Says He Burned Cross In Chicago In Protest Of Trump, Not Black People
Source: WISH-TV / WISH-TV Last week, we reported on a burning cross that was discovered in Chicago’s Grant Park, and that the Chicago Police Department was looking for a “person of interest,” photos of whom were revealed to the public Naturally, it was assumed that the burning of the cross was an act of racial hatred, as virtually everyone in the U.S. is aware of the historical significance of such a symbol of hate. And by “virtually,” I mean, …
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