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Black Churches Vandalized

Church vandalism exposes divisions over faith and politics in America



Does politics supersede religious beliefs for some in today's bitterly divided United States?



Vandalism at four downtown Washington churches after weekend rallies in support of Donald Trump have exposed rifts among people of faith as the nation confronts heavily charged post-election political divisions, Elana Schor reports.



The houses of worship that were vandalized included two historically Black churches where people ripped down Black Lives Matter banners. Video on social media showed one banner being burned, defacement that police say is being investigated as a possible hate crime.



Critically, it also raised questions among some pastors and members at the churches about why more fellow Christians were not speaking out against the attacks.



“When evangelicals can speak on behalf of unborn babies, can speak on behalf of law and order when it comes to white people and white property, but are silent when it comes to banners that proclaim ‘Black lives matter,’ the moral silence is stupefying,” said a former president of the NAACP and a member of one of the churches, Metropolitan A.M.E.



The tearing down of Black Lives Matter signs came after pro-Trump demonstrations in the capital that attracted a sizable number of Proud Boys, a neo-fascist group prone to violence. The protests were planned to bolster the president’s baseless claims of election fraud.