Several churches were burned and vandalized over the weekend as protests of police brutality turned to rioting and looting in many American cities.
St. John Episcopal, a historic church directly behind the White House in Washington, D.C., was attacked Sunday night by protesters who set up a bonfire in front of the church. The fire later spread to the St. John’s basement and an adjacent building owned by the church. Police began dispersing the crowd after the fire broke out and as an 11 p.m. curfew set by Mayor Muriel Bowser neared.
Nearly every U.S. president has worshiped at St. John’s, and the church is active in promoting social justice in the city. Earlier in the day, the church had expressed solidarity with the people protesting the death of George Floyd, who died while in Minneapolis police custody over Memorial Day weekend.
In Minneapolis, protesters burned the interior of the Catholic Basilica of St. Mary, one of the oldest churches of its kind in America. The damage was only minimal, according to church authorities.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, one of the most famous churches in America, was vandalized Saturday night with references to the Black Lives Matter movement and the F-word. The vandalism took place as people in New York took part in the nationwide protests, and some damaged businesses, restaurants, and government agencies.
More than 4,000 people nationwide have been arrested since the protests began last week.
