A mural of George Floyd is shown in the intersection of 38th St & Chicago Ave on March 31, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Community members continue preparations during the third day in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with multiple counts of murder in the death of George Floyd. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 01: President Donald Trump's lawyer and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani talks to journalists outside the White House West Wing July 01, 2020 in Washington, DC. Giuliani did an on-camera interview with One America News Network's Chanel Rion before talking to other journalists about Vice President Joe Biden and the news that Russian intelligence may have paid Taliban operatives to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Vigils & tributes to George Floyd one year since his murder ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 28: Former President Donald Trump addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference held in the Hyatt Regency on February 28, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. Begun in 1974, CPAC brings together conservative organizations, activists, and world leaders to discuss issues important to them. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Here's what reported grand jury in Trump case may look like NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 09: People walk past the Trump Tower as the impeachment trial of Donald Trump begins in Washington on February 09, 2021 in New York City. After listening to nearly four hours of legal arguments, the Senate has voted on Tuesday to move ahead with the impeachment trial of former President Trump. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Report: US companies may have benefited from forced labor of Uyghurs WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 20: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the conflict in the Middle East from Cross- Hall of the White House on May 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. Israel and Hamas announced that they would agree to a cease-fire, which will take into effect on Friday, following days of fighting that claimed more than 200 lives. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) SAN JOSE, CA - MAY 26: A view of the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light-rail yard where a mass shooting occurred on May 26, 2021 in San Jose, California. A VTA employee opened fire at the yard, with preliminary reports indicating nine people dead including the gunman. (Photo by Philip Pacheco/Getty Images) A healthcare worker prepares to administer a Pfizer/BioNTEch coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine at The Michener Institute, in Toronto, Ontario on December 14, 2020. - Ontario, Canada's most populous province and one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, had 1,940 new cases and 23 deaths on Monday. The province is expected to give its next doses to nursing home workers as a priority, according to media reports. (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO / POOL / AFP) (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) 'Never seen levels like this': Union president on airline passenger misconduct Memorial Day weekend will bring rain and cool air for much of the East Firefighters and fire investigators respond to a fire at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church Thursday, April 4, 2019, in Opelousas, La. Authorities in southern Louisiana are investigating a string of "suspicious" fires at three African American churches in recent days. Fire Marshal H. "Butch" Browning said it wasn't clear whether the fires in St. Landry Parish are connected and he declined to get into specifics of what the investigation had yielded so far but described the blazes as "suspicious." (Leslie Westbrook/The Advocate via AP) (CNN) — A suspect has been taken into custody in connection with fires at three historically black Louisiana churches in 10 days, a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation and a local elected official told CNN on Wednesday night. Two law enforcement officials with direct knowledge of the ongoing investigation tell CNN the subject arrested in connection with three church fires in Louisiana is a 21-year-old man from St. Landry Parish. CNN has been provided the name of the subject but is not reporting it until it is announced by authorities. Meanwhile, authorities said they will announce significant updates in the case at a news conference Thursday at 10 a.m. CT at the St. Landry Parish Sheriff Public Safety Complex in Opelousas. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards will attend the news conference, his office said. St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre burned on March 26, followed by Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas on April 2 and two days later, Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in the same town. The fires are believed to have been intentionally set, a local elected official said Tuesday. Officials are also investigating a fourth, smaller fire on March 31 at the predominantly white Vivian United Pentecostal Church in Caddo Parish, more than 200 miles north of St. Landry. The blaze was intentionally set. The FBI and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are assisting in the investigations. The NAACP has labeled the fires “domestic terrorism,” adding the “spike in church burnings in Southern states is a reflection of the emboldened racial rhetoric and tension spreading across the country.” Once a common occurrence Church burnings were a common occurrence in the Jim Crow era. And fires at black churches – especially those in the South – immediately bring to mind such racist attacks. “For decades, African-American churches have served as the epicenter of survival and a symbol of hope for many in the African-American community,” NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said. “As a consequence, these houses of faith have historically been the targets of violence.” Several black churches in the South were burned in 2015 shortly after the mass murder of nine people at the Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, though it is unclear if those fires were racially motivated. According to the latest data from the National Fire Protection Association, fires within religious and funeral properties have been on the decline for decades. Between 2007 and 2011, 16% were ruled intentional, according to the association.<doc-sep>Send this page to someone via email OPELOUSAS, La. — The suspect in a string of fires that destroyed three black churches in rural Louisiana is the white son of a sheriff’s deputy whose father helped arrange for his arrest, authorities said Thursday. Holden Matthews, 21, was jailed without bail on arson charges in connection with the blazes in and around Opelousas, a city of 16,000 where the flame-gutted remains of the buildings evoked memories of civil rights era violence. READ MORE: Suspicious ‘patterns’ found between 3 churches burned in Louisiana Louisiana Fire Marshal Butch Browning offered no motive for the fires. He and other officials stopped short of calling them hate crimes. Eric Rommal, the agent in charge of the New Orleans FBI office, said investigators were still looking into whether the fires were “bias motivated.” Browning said there were no indications that anyone else was involved and the danger to churches was over. Story continues below advertisement “This community is safe again,” he said at a news conference. “We are extremely, unequivocally confident that we have the person who is responsible for these tragic crimes.” The Rev. Harry Richard, pastor of Greater Union Baptist Church, which was destroyed, said the arrest put him at ease and let him sleep at night. WATCH: Police identify suspect charged in connection to 3 fires at black churches in Louisiana 1:15 Police identify suspect charged over 3 fires at black churches in Louisiana Police identify suspect charged over 3 fires at black churches in Louisiana – Apr 11, 2019 ​ “I felt relieved my congregation didn’t have to worry anymore,” said Richard, who was told of the arrest late Wednesday. “I was reassured that law enforcement was on our side, that things were finally coming to an end.” Investigators used surveillance video, cellphone tracking and a Walmart receipt to help identify Matthews, who was arrested late Wednesday. They moved quickly, arresting him within 12 hours because they were worried that “other crimes were imminent,” Browning said. Story continues below advertisement The charred remains of a red gas can recovered at one of the churches was sold at Walmart locations, and the company’s investigators found that the same type of gas can was bought March 25 at a store in Opelousas, along with automotive cloths and a lighter. WATCH: FBI investigating fires at 3 black churches in Louisiana 1:49 FBI investigating arson’s at 3 black churches in Louisiana FBI investigating arson’s at 3 black churches in Louisiana – Apr 9, 2019 The debit card used in that purchase belonged to Matthews, according to court documents. “The purchase time on this receipt is less than three hours before the first church fire was reported,” an affidavit said. In addition, cellphone tower data showed Matthews was in the area of all three fires. Surveillance video from businesses and homes near the churches, and on the roads to and from each fire scene, repeatedly showed a “light colored extended-cab truck” that was consistent with the beige pickup that belonged to Matthews’ father. Matthews apparently drove the truck to buy the gas can and other items, according to the court documents. Story continues below advertisement St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz confirmed that the suspect was the son of deputy Roy Matthews, whom he described as an excellent employee who knew nothing of his son’s actions. The elder Matthews was heartbroken when told his son was a suspect, the sheriff said. “He broke down,” Guidroz said. “It was hard.” He said the father arranged for the son to leave the house and go to a place where he could be arrested without incident. He did not elaborate. The younger Matthews was arrested on three counts of arson of a religious building. A conviction could bring up to 15 years in prison on each count, Browning said. The fires set many people on edge in and around Opelousas, about 140 miles northwest of New Orleans. Gov. John Bel Edwards said the fires were “especially painful” because they were a reminder “of a very dark past of intimidation and fear.” “This is a reflection of one depraved individual,” he added. “It is not a reflection on the state of Louisiana.” Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "This is a reflection of one depraved individual," he added. "It is not a reflection on the state of Louisiana." Story continues below advertisement Matthews had shown interest in “black metal,” an extreme subgenre of heavy metal, Browning said. The music has been linked, in some instances, to fires at Christian churches in Norway in the 1990s. A Facebook page that appeared to belong to Matthews showed him with the words “black metal” spray painted on a wall behind him. He also posted a comment on a movie’s portrayal of black metal musician Varg Vikernes, a far-right figure convicted of manslaughter and arson at three churches. Black metal lyrics often espouse satanism and paganism, and a few bands feature neo-Nazi beliefs. READ MORE: Street preachers face criminal charges after interrupting London church service The fires happened over a 10-day period. The first blaze torched the St. Mary Baptist Church on March 26 in Port Barre, a town just outside of Opelousas. Days later, the Greater Union Baptist Church and Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Opelousas were burned. Each was more than 100 years old. The churches were empty at the time, and no one was injured. Investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were still combing the scene at Mount Pleasant and warning onlookers away on Wednesday, a week after the fire. WATCH: Painting of Jesus Christ survives fire that destroyed 150-year-old Massachusetts church 1:00 Painting of Jesus Christ survives fire that destroyed 150-year-old church Painting of Jesus Christ survives fire that destroyed 150-year-old church – Oct 26, 2018 At Greater Union, which burned April 2, the flames caused exterior walls of brick and wood to collapse on rows of metal folding chairs. All that was left of an upright piano was the lattice work of steel strings. Story continues below advertisement<doc-sep>The early involvement of federal authorities to help investigate a string of "suspicious" blazes that swallowed three black churches in Louisiana is vital during a time when hate crimes in the country are on the rise, historians and academics say. And after a major fire burned down a social justice center in Tennessee less than two weeks ago — and led investigators to anti-Semitic graffiti — civil rights groups say it's even more urgent for officials to react swiftly. "What is happening in Tennessee and Louisiana is domestic terrorism and we must not turn a blind eye to any incident where people are targeted because of the color of their skin or their faith," Derrick Johnson, the president and CEO of the NAACP, said in a statement. About 200 people, including from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, are examining the latest cases in Louisiana to help determine whether the fires were intentionally set and may have been motivated by racism or extremism. Following the third fire last week, State Fire Marshal Butch Browning told reporters that investigators have identified "suspicious elements" in each case and "we do believe that crimes have occurred." All three churches were in St. Landry Parish, north of Lafayette, and were historically black. The first fire was reported on March 26 at St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre; the second on April 2 at the Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas; and the third last Thursday at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, also in Opelousas and founded in the 19th century. "There is clearly something happening in this community," Browning said in a statement. The charred foundation of St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre, Louisiana, following an early-morning fire on March 26, 2019. Natalie Obregon / NBC News The churches were empty at the time of the fires, officials said, and each suffered considerable damage, forcing worshippers to hold Sunday services at other locations. (A fourth fire last weekend at a church with a predominantly white congregation in another parish 200 miles away doesn't appear to be connected, authorities have said.) St. Landry Parish, with a population of more than 83,000, is about 56 percent white and 42 percent black, census data shows. Police in the parish have told pastors at other black churches that they will step up safety patrols. Christopher Strain, who studied the wave of black church burnings of the 1990s in his book, "Burning Faith: Church Arson in the American South," said that church arsons linked to hate crimes tend to spike alongside the general rise in hate crimes. In Louisiana, "investigators have deemed these fires 'suspicious' and they certainly are: it's hard to see three such incidents in a limited geographic area in a short amount of time as coincidental," Strain, a professor of American studies at Florida Atlantic University, said in an email. "Whether the targets are churches, synagogues, mosques, or other sacred spaces, arson is a well-worn tool in the white supremacist's toolbox," he added, "and it would not be surprising if investigators determined that these fires were hate-based or racially motivated." Jack Levin, a professor emeritus at Northeastern University in Boston and co-director of the Brudnick Center on Violence and Conflict, said that given the legacy of racial strife in the South and how black houses of worship were targeted during the civil rights movement, authorities can't ignore a hate crime motivation. "We've seen hate crimes on the rise and the number of organized hate groups growing in this country over the last several years," Levin said. "It's much more likely now that three black churches victimized by unknown perpetrators would be hate crimes and possibly the work of members of organized groups." The FBI last fall reported a more than 17 percent rise in hate crimes across the country in 2017 from 2016 — the third consecutive year the numbers have increased. In February, the Southern Poverty Law Center found hate groups increased by 30 percent in the past four years, reaching an all-time high. The ATF, which tracks how houses of worship in the U.S. are targeted, found the majority of the more than 240 incidents in 2017 involved a Christian denomination and were categorized as "incendiary," involving some type of accelerant or device. Of those incendiary fires, only one was motivated by "extremism," according to a U.S. Bomb Data Center report. Investigators cited "revenge" or "vandalism" in other cases. In the majority of the fires, however, the motivation was either not reported or not known.<doc-sep>ATLANTA — Three historically black churches have burned in less than two weeks in one south Louisiana parish, where officials said they had found “suspicious elements” in each case. The officials have not ruled out the possibility of arson, or the possibility that the fires are related. “There is clearly something happening in this community,” State Fire Marshal H. Browning said in a statement on Thursday. “That is why it is imperative that the citizens of this community be part of our effort to figure out what it is.” The three fires occurred on March 26, April 2 and April 4 in St. Landry Parish, north of Lafayette. A fourth fire, a small blaze that officials said was “intentionally set,” was reported on Sunday at a predominantly white church in Caddo Parish, about a three-hour drive north. “But just as we haven’t connected the three in St. Landry, we haven’t connected the one in Caddo,” said Ashley Rodrigue, a spokeswoman for the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal, on Friday.<doc-sep>
(CNN) — For three historically black churches in the heart of south central Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole country, Sunday services will not be the same. The churches in rural St. Landry Parish – about 30 miles north of Lafayette – have burned since March 26 in what officials have described as “suspicious circumstances.” “There is clearly something happening in this community,” State Fire Marshal H. Browning said in a statement. Standing outside the charred remains of the Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas – which burned on Tuesday – Pastor Harry Richard said he looked forward to meeting elsewhere with his congregation on Sunday. “Quite naturally, something like this would shake us up,” he told CNN affiliate KLFY. Why are black church fires associated with acts of hate? “I’m very concerned but I’m very optimistic because of our faith in God and, no matter what happens, I feel like this is his plan,” Richard said. “He’s going to bring me through this.” In one parish, three churches burn in 10 days Leslie Westbrook/AP Firefighter battles blaze at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church on Thursday. The first fire occurred March 26 at St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre. Greater Union burned on Tuesday and Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, also in Opelousas, suffered a fire on Thursday. “We believe these three fires are suspicious,” Browning said. “We are falling short of talking about what caused the fires, falling short of saying they are related, however cognizant that there is a problem and no coincidence that there are three fires.” Officials were also investigating a fourth, smaller fire last Sunday at the predominantly white Vivian United Pentecostal Church in Caddo Parish more than 200 miles north of St. Landry. The blaze was intentionally set. “The three fires in St. Landry Parish contain suspicious elements, but we have not yet classified them,” said Ashley Rodrigue, a spokeswoman for the state fire marshal. Gov. John Bel Edwards this week appealed for the public’s help with the investigations. “Our churches are sacred, central parts of our communities and everyone should feel safe in their place of worship, ” he said in a statement. “We do not know the cause of these fires in St. Landry and Caddo parishes, but my heart goes out to each of the congregations and all of those who call these churches home.” Law enforcement presence increases at houses of worship Browning said the remains of the three historically black churches in St. Landry Parish are considered crime scenes. “Investigating a fire is a very lengthy process,” he said. “It’s one of the most complicated and unconventional crime scenes you’ll ever enter because most of the evidence is burned away.” The FBI and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were assisting in the investigations. “It’s imperative that the citizens of this community be part of our effort to figure out what it is,” Browning said. St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said authorities were “doing everything we can” to protect churches and determine the cause of the fires. Law enforcement presence at houses of worship has increased. “You got to have a certain degree of anger because there’s no reason for this,” Deacon Earnest Hines of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Opelousas told CNN affiliate WBRZ. “You know the history of our country. During the civil rights struggle, they had all these incidents that would happen and sometimes that happens again,” he said. Richard told CNN affiliate KATC Greater Union Baptist Church embodied more than 100 years of history. “Our parents, grandparents went here,” he said. “Buried in the back there, some of them are.” On Sunday, he told KLFY, he planned to preach about God’s grace to his displaced congregation. “God’s grace is undeserved merit. I know we don’t deserve this, but he gives us something better than this, and that’s undeserved grace,” Richard said.