A Black church in Texas was destroyed by fire after being vandalized with racist graffiti.
According to KXII, the Paris Fire Department responded to a fire at Love Tabernacle Church around 11:15 p.m. on September 29, as the building burned to the ground.
Fortunately, no one was injured in the fire. Prior to the blaze, two racial slurs had been spray-painted on the church’s exterior wall. However, it remains unclear when the graffiti was applied or when the fire initially started.
Local activist Brenda Cherry called for the incident to be investigated as a hate crime.
“I’ve been doing this for over 20 years, and things don’t get better because they’re not addressed. They’re glossed over or hidden,” Cherry said. “I’ve not known of a Black church being burned before. Not in this era, but racist graffiti – that’s a common thing.”
The motive behind the graffiti and arson at the church remains unknown.
“It’s where people go to worship,” Cherry said. “Nobody comes here to do anything wrong. So why would anyone burn down a church? And why would anyone write racist graffiti on a church? You don’t do that.”
Paris Police Captain Terry Bull stated that the incident is not currently being investigated by the police department and is being handled solely as part of a fire investigation.
The city issued the following statement, addressing the church fire.
“The Paris Fire Department was dispatched at 11:08 pm on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, to a reported structure fire in the 1600 block of NE 13th St in Paris. Responding units arrived to find a single-story wood-framed church heavily involved in fire. Photos of graffiti on some exterior walls were taken and forwarded to the City of Paris Fire Marshal, who also responded to investigate. Due to the building being a church and the presence of graffiti, the Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office was notified, and their assistance was requested for the investigation. The building was a total loss, and no injuries were reported. The fire is currently under investigation by state and local authorities, and no further information is available.”
Tristan Love, pastor of Love Tabernacle Church, announced that church services will temporarily be held in Cooper, Texas until further notice.
