A Black church in Texas was burned to the ground after it was hit with racist graffiti.

According to KXII, the Paris Fire Department responded to the Love Tabernacle Church as it was burning to the ground on September 29 at roughly 11:15 p.m.

No one was injured in the fire. Prior to the incident, two racial slurs were spray-painted on the outside wall of the church. It's unclear when the wall was graffitied or when the fire began.

Brenda Cherry, a local activist, said the incident should be investigated as a hate crime.

“I’ve been doing this for over 20 years, and things don’t get better because they’re not addressed. They’re glossed over or hidden,” Cherry said. “I’ve not known of a Black church being burned before. Not in this era, but racist graffiti - that’s a common thing.”

The motive behind the graffiti and arson of the church remains unclear.

“It’s where people go to worship,” Cherry said. “Nobody comes here to do anything wrong. So why would anyone burn down a church? And why would anyone write racist graffiti on a church? You don’t do that.”

According to Paris Police Captain Terry Bull, the incident isn't currently being investigated by the department and is solely a part of a fire investigation.

The city issued the following statement, addressing the church fire.

“The Paris Fire Department was dispatched at 11:08 pm on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, to a reported structure fire in the 1600 block of NE 13th St in Paris. Responding units arrived to find a single-story wood-framed church heavily involved in fire. Photos of graffiti on some exterior walls were taken and forwarded to the City of Paris Fire Marshal, who also responded to investigate. Due to the building being a church and the presence of graffiti, the Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office was notified, and their assistance was requested for the investigation. The building was a total loss, and no injuries were reported. The fire is currently under investigation by state and local authorities, and no further information is available.”

Tristan Love, the pastor of Love Tabernacle Church, said church services will be held in Cooper, Texas until further notice.

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