Suspicious fires consume 3 black churches in 10 days in a parish of Louisiana

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The churches of the rural parish of St. Landry, located about 30 km north of Lafayette, have been burning since March 26 in what the authorities have described as "suspicious circumstances".

"There is clearly something going on in this community," Fire Marshal H. Browning said in a statement.

Standing in front of the charred remains of the Great Union Baptist Church in Opelousas – who burned Tuesday – Pastor Harry Richard said he was eager to meet his congregation elsewhere on Sunday.

"Of course, something like that would shake us up," he told KLFY, a CNN affiliate.
Why are black church fires associated with hate?

"I am very worried, but I am very optimistic because of our faith in God and, whatever happens, I have the impression that it is his plan," he said. Richard. "He's going to get me through this."

In a parish, three churches burn in 10 days

Firefights broke out Thursday at the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church.

The first fire occurred on March 26 at the St. Mary Baptist Church of Port Barre. The Great Union burned down on Tuesday and the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, also in Opelousas, was burned down on Thursday.

"We think these three fires are suspicious," Browning said. "We are unable to talk about the cause of the fires nor to say that they are related, although we are aware that there is a problem and that there is no coincidence there are three fires. "

Officials also investigated a fourth, more minor, fire last Sunday at the predominantly white Pentecostal, Vivian United Church in Caddo Parish, more than 200 km north of St. Landry. The fire was intentionally created.

"The three fires in St. Landry Parish contain suspicious elements, but we have not yet classified them," said Ashley Rodrigue, spokeswoman for the Fire Marshal.

Governor John Bel Edwards has launched this week a call for public assistance for his investigations.

"Our churches are sacred and central parts of our communities and everyone should feel safe in their place of worship," he said in a statement. "We do not know the cause of these fires in the parishes of St. Landry and Caddo, but my heart goes to each of the congregations and to all those who live in these churches."

The presence of law enforcement forces increases in places of worship

Browning said the remains of the three historically black churches at St. Landry Parish are considered crime scenes.

"Investigating a fire is a very long process," he said. "It's one of the most complicated and unconventional crime scenes you've ever seen because most of the evidence is burned."

The FBI and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives participated in the investigations.

"It is imperative that the citizens of this community participate in our efforts to understand what it is," Browning said.

Sheriff Bobby Guidroz of St. Landry Parish stated that the authorities "were doing everything in their power" to protect the churches and determine the cause of the fires. The presence of the police in places of worship has increased.

"You must have some degree of anger because there is no reason for that," said at CNN subsidiary WBRZ, the deacon Earnest Hines of the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church of # 39, Opelousas.

"You know the history of our country, and in the struggle for civil rights all these incidents happened and sometimes happen again," he said.

Richard told CNN's affiliated church, the KATC Greater Union Baptist Church, that she epitomized more than 100 years of history.

"Our parents and grandparents came here," he said. "Buried in the back there, some of them are."

On Sunday, he told KLFY, he planned to preach the grace of God to his displaced congregation.

"The grace of God is an undeserved merit, I know we do not deserve that, but it gives us something better than that, and it's an undeserved grace," Richard said.

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