Sarah Taylor – May 21, 2020
A Mississippi church whose leadership refused to close the church’s doors during the state’s COVID-19 lockdown is now no more.
An as-yet identified suspect reportedly burned the church down Wednesday morning.
The First Pentecostal Church of Holly Springs was vandalized, which caused an explosion to the rear of the facility.
Authorities are investigating the vandalism as a criminal act of arson.
One message spray painted on the church property read, “I bet you stay home now you hypokrits [sic].”
Stephen Crampton, an attorney for the church, told WHBQ-TV on Thursday that the unknown vandal or vandals spray-painted the church and set it on fire.
“There was a major explosion in the back of the church that blew out the front,” Crampton said.
Crampton also said that he believed the church was targeted for “being outspoken and somewhat firm about seeking to protect their constitutional rights” by refusing to close during the pandemic.