'Charleston 2' Scrawled on Bishop's Truck Near Black Church in Florida
A truck belonging to New Shiloh Christian Center's bishop was submerged in a pond with the words “SS Charleston 2” written on the outside.
Bishop Jacquelyn Gordon said she found her truck with "the doors wide open and glass everywhere," according to Florida Today. Yet, the attack extended beyond that damage. The church foyer was trashed, items from the bistro were stolen, glass was shattered and fire extinguishers were sprayed upon the floor.
"It is a hate crime..." said police commander Dan Lynch of the Melbourne Police Department.
The church has been the target of multiple crimes over this past year. In March, members of the church community found the church’s van spray painted with a noose and a message scrawled on the side. It read: “What’s the $ of ur soul.” An upside down cross was also drawn beside the noose.
A month prior to this incident, the church’s storage shed was burned down. It was also spray painted with a series of messages that read: “Allahu akbar” and “We see U.”
“Charleston 2” is a reference to the deadly shooting that occurred at Emanuel AME in South Carolina. Nine people lost their lives in the June 17 attack. Since the shooting, several Black churches have burned in the South.
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(Photo: Florida Today)
