Black Church Burned And Vandalized With “Vote Trump” Graffiti Raises $200,000

Rogelio V. Solis / AP

Two days after a historically black church in Mississippi was burned and spray painted with the message "Vote Trump," a crowdfunding effort has raised nearly $200,000 in donations to rebuild the church.

The online fundraising campaign was launched Wednesday in response to the vandalism with the money to be used to repair the destroyed sanctuary, said organizer J. Blair Reeves Jr. As of Thursday night, more than $198,000 had been raised, far surpassing the goal of $10,000.

The fire that destroyed the Hopewell Baptist Church was being investigated as arson, Greenville Fire Chief Ruben Brown Sr. said. Traces of a fire accelerant found at the scene have been sent to a lab for further testing.

The FBI has opened a civil rights investigation into the incident.

Greenville Police Chief Delando Wilson said a "person of interest" is talking to investigators about the fire, but no arrests have been made, the Associated Press reported. Wilson said the man voluntarily turned himself in to police, without a lawyer, and spoke to investigators on both Wednesday and Thursday.

An $11,000 award is being offered for any information leading to the arrest of the person who set the fire.

Rogelio V. Solis / AP

The Hopewell congregation is 111 years old, and while some of the church had been expanded in more recent years, it still included parts of the original structure.

Brown described the church as being 80% destroyed. A soot-stained brick wall remained standing, but the pulpit and pews of the church were burned.

“It definitely will have to be reconstructed from front to back,” Brown said.

LINK: Black Mississippi Church Burned And Vandalized With “Vote Trump” Graffiti

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