Property Damage News 07/07/2023

(July 6) 3 Crosses Burned At A Small Los Angeles Church And Authorities Investigate Possible Hate Crime | Los Angeles, CA

Three wooden crosses outside a small Los Angeles church were found burned early Thursday, and authorities said it was being investigated as a possible hate crime.

Firefighters responded to a report of a fire shortly before 5 a.m. in the Sylmar area and found the flames were already out, leaving smoldering wood, Fire Department spokesperson Nicholas Prange said in a statement.

It was not clear whether the flames simply went out or were extinguished by someone. Prange noted that a garden hose was nearby.

One cross had either fallen over or been knocked down in a rock garden in front of Sylmar Christian Fellowship Church. The other two were scorched but remained upright.

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(July 6) Judge Awards Black Church $1 Million After Proud Boys Burn BLM Banner | Washington, DC

A judge on Friday, June 30, awarded more than $1 million to a Black church in downtown Washington, D.C. that sued the far-right Proud Boys for tearing down and burning a Black Lives Matter banner during a 2020 protest.

Superior Court Associated Judge Neal A. Kravitz also barred the extremist group and its leaders from coming near the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church or making threats or defamatory remarks against the church or its pastor for five years.

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(July 6) Pastor Speaks Out After Church Destroys 'Demonic Statue' Found On Premises, Warns Of Evil Attacks | Houston, TX

Leaders at a Texas church took immediate action after discovering what at least one local outlet described as a “demonic statue.”

The small figure was discovered outside in a gazebo at the Community of Faith Church in Houston, Texas, with congregants coming together to pray — and destroy the figurine with a blazing fire.

“It’s disheartening,” Bishop James Dixon told KHOU-TV. “It is sad to think that people would do something like that.”

The faith leader continued, “It’s a statue that announces curses … the curse of death … the Grim Reaper with the sickle.”

The church also shared a Facebook post saying it faces a “season of unusual demonic assault” and described the statue as a tool used “for devil worship.”

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(July 5) Spokane Valley Church Responding With Love To Possible Hate Crime | Spokane Valley, WA

Veradale United Church of Christ was allegedly the target of recent vandalism and burglary. Pastor Gen Heywood said she wanted to respond with a powerful message.

Sunday, June 25, the Veradale United Church of Christ was allegedly vandalized and burglarized.

The Spokane County Sheriff's Office is looking for three to four suspects who could be responsible for writing "Lev 20:13" on the lawn in diesel fuel and stealing 25 Pride and 2 Black Lives Matter flags.

Pastor Rev. Gen Heywood said she was most disturbed by the Bible verse written in the grass.

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(July 3) Community Picks Up The Pieces After Lightning Burns Historic Church To Ground; Downs Powers Lines And Trees | Greenville County, SC

They say it's the people, not the building, that makes a church. Monday, Camp Creek Church members picked up the pieces after a lighting storm burned their sanctuary into a heap of rubble. Broken glass, singed hymnals, an old bell and burned bricks were all that remained.

"God's going to pull us through this," Interim Pastor Joe Hayes said. "The church is not the building. And with the help of others and with the Lord working, he's going to make this church thrive."

Hayes said lightning struck Camp Creek Church just before 10 p.m. Sunday. It took six fire stations hours to put the blaze out.

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