Greenville Fire Chief Ruben Brown Sr. told a news conference on Wednesday afternoon that investigators had determined the fire at Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church was "intentionally set." Mayor Errick Simmons told a news conference Wednesday that said local officials consider the fire a hate crime is because of the political message he believes was intended to interfere with worship and intimidate voters. "It tries to push your beliefs on someone else, and this is a predominantly black church and no one has a right to try to influence the way someone votes in this election.”

Black churches in the U.S. South have long been a base of support for the Democratic Party. "The act that happened left our hearts broken," Pastor Carolyn Hudson told the news conference, noting that the church has a 111-year history.
The predominantly African American Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church in Greenville Mississippi burned down to brick walls and spray painted with "Vote Trump" in what appeared to be a political hate crime. Andrew McClinton, a black member of the church was arrested, charged and later pleaded guilty to burning the church in a race hoax (WREG)