WASHINGTON, D.C. –As President Trump continues baseless claims that the Nov 3 presidential election that he lost to Democratic nominee Joe Biden last month was tainted, his supporters on Sunday vandalized two Black churches in downtown Washington D.C, snatching a Black Lives Matter banner from one of the churches during a volatile protest and later setting in ablaze, police said Monday.
The vandalism follows clashes Saturday night and Sunday with Trump supporters and counter protesters and comes as the electors of the electoral college met Monday to ratify the presidential win of President-elect Biden, who won both the electoral college and the popular vote.
Police told reporters on Sunday that authorities were investigating the incidents at the Asbury United Methodist Church and Metropolitan A.M.E. Church in downtown D.C. as potential hate crimes.
Black religious leaders are upset.
They compared the incident to a "cross burning."
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also spoke out.
“This weekend, we saw forces of hate seeking to use destruction and intimidation to tear us apart,” Bowser told reporters.
Black Lives Matter activists said the mayor was down playing violence against protesters and giving Trump supporters and White supremacists free reign to "run rampant."
This latest violence comes in conjunction with weekend rallies staged by Trump supporters over the presidential election, protests organized by design to occur two days before Monday's electoral college meeting.
Some 30 people were arrested on charges ranging from resisting arrest to disorderly conduct, aggravated rioting and felonious assault.
Four protesters were reportedly stabbed about 10 pm Sunday at a protest.
At least eight were injured.
There were no fatalities.
The president has not publicly denounced this weekend's violence protests one way or another, though his critics say that perpetuating racial conflict and divisiveness has been a highlight of his presidency.
A relatively peaceful pro-Trump rally held last month by people dissatisfied with the November election drew some 10,000 people to the nation's capital and was spearheaded by various radical pro-Trump groups, including the White supremacist group The Proud Boys, The Million Maga March, March For Trump, Stop The Steal, and Women For America First. some of the members of the groups also associated with the Tea Party.
D.C officials said that Proud Boys were the main impetus behind the protests there this weekend that erupted into violence.
In spite of numerous unsuccessful attempts by Trump and his attorneys to challenge the outcome of the election in the courts, Biden handily won the presidency this year with 306 electoral votes to Trump's 232.
He won the popular vote over Trump 51 percent to his 47 percent, or with 81.3 million votes to Trump's 74.2 million votes.
Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most read Black digital newspaper in Ohio and in the Midwest, and the most read independent digital news in Ohio. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview. CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.
