Category: News affecting the Church

U.S. strengthens hate crimes laws to protect churches and religious institutions

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church damage

U.S. President Donald Trump this month signed a bill into law increasing punishments for criminals who target churches or religiously affiliated organizations. The bill was introduced in response to a growing number of vandalism, bomb threats and other attacks on religious freedom in the U.S.

Existing U.S. law protects abortion clinics and other facilities frequently target by vandals.  The new law expands similar protections for churches. According to a news release from the White House, The Protecting Religiously Affiliated Institutions Act of 2018 criminalizes the intentional obstruction of any person’s free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force against religious real property. It increases the penalty to three years in prison and up to a $5,000 fine for threats that lead to damage. Those offenses were misdemeanors with a maximum one year in jail before the bill was signed.

 

Congregation forgives, mentors teens who vandalized church – Other items of interest

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Tennessee pastor mentors to teens who vandalized church

Instead of getting angry, Walnut Grove Missionary Baptist Church is choosing forgiveness and inviting the boys into the very doors that they vandalized. More from WSMV.

 

Wilton church damaged when banner set ablaze

A state fire investigator said Tuesday that someone set fire to a 200th anniversary banner strung across the front of the First Congregational Church on Main Street on Monday night.  More from the Sun Journal.

 

Atheist group sues Arkansas lawmaker over social media blocks

American Atheists have sued Republican Sen. Jason Rapert in federal court for his practice of blocking critics from his Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Indiana man arrested for vandalism of multiple churches, more charges pending

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Mug shot - arsonist
Renzo Signorino

Sheriff’s deputies in Indiana arrested the man they say is responsible for a string of church vandalism cases. Renzo Signorino, 20, of Columbus, Indiana, is charged with numerous crimes against congregations in Brown County, Indiana including burglary, institutional criminal mischief, and felony level theft.   Investigators say his victims include the congregations of the Way of Holiness Tabernacle, St. Agnes Catholic Church of Nashville, and the Pikes Peak Church of Christ. A police spokesperson said more charges are pending.

According to a report in The Republic newspaper, investigators were able to file charges after they received a tip from an FBI agent who was investigating vandalism at a synagogue.  The Brown County Democrat says the agent contacted investigators on August 19 after the suspect in the synagogue vandalism told authorities she and Signorino had previously targeted other houses of worship.  Further investigation uncovered evidence that implicated Signorino.

A Sheriff’s Office news release lists the following charges as of Friday:

  • Burglary – Level 5 Felony (Way of Holiness Tabernacle Church)
  • Theft – Class A Misdemeanor (Way of Holiness Tabernacle Church)
  • Institutional Criminal Mischief – Class A Misdemeanor (Way of Holiness Tabernacle Church)
  • Burglary – Level 5 Felony (St. Agnes Catholic Church)
  • Institutional Criminal Mischief – Class A Misdemeanor (St. Agnes Catholic Church)
  • Institutional Criminal Mischief – Class A Misdemeanor (Pike’s Peak Church of Christ)

The news release does not give Signorino’s motivation for vandalizing church property.

 

Texas man guilty of arson and criminal mischief in attack on Presbyterian church

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mug shotA Fort Worth, Texas man is sentenced to 40 years in prison for the January arson of a church building.

According to CBS Local in the Dallas Fort Worth area, Thomas Britton went on a rampage at St. Stephen’s Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth causing nearly $800,000 in damage.  This week he was found guilty of arson and criminal mischief.

“This was not just criminal mischief. This was historic criminal mischief,” said prosecutor Vincent Giardino to the Fort Worth Business Press. “The police officers on the scene that morning, and even his own defense attorney, said they’d never seen anything like it. His goal was not just to damage this church, but to obliterate it. And he has no remorse for it.”

The trial begin Tuesday in before Judge Robb Catalano Tarrant County’s Criminal District 3.   Jurors deliberated for less than 10 minutes Thursday before reaching a guilty verdict.

Vandals’ criminal act caught on video at New York Orthodox church building

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The motive of two criminals who vandalized an Orthodox church building in Greenport, New York remains unknown as investigators work to learn their identity.

Church members of Saints Anargyroi, Taxiarchis & Gerasimos Greek Orthodox Church told CBS New York they don’t hold a grudge against the two vandals, but want them to know their unacceptable behavior has unnerved an entire community.

The vandals smashed a stained glass window, tore down a church sign and kicked over potted plants. Surveillance video is available from News12 Long Island.

Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to call the Southold Police Department at 631-765-2600.