A man who set a wooden cross on fire in a Chicago park last week claims it wasn’t intended as a symbol of hate toward black people but a protest of the Trump administration.
The cross was filmed engulfed in flames in Grant Park last Tuesday following the guilty verdict of Texas teen Karmelo Anthony in a high-profile, racially-charged track meet murder case, prompting questions as to whether the blaze was set by a white supremacist.
An FBI hate crime investigation was also launched in response to the incident.
Speaking to NBC Chicago, University of Illinois Chicago senior Merlin Lu, 21, claimed he was responsible for the act, but said he did it to protest the Trump administration.
“I wanted to find something that I could do by myself, like no organization, no friends…” Lu said, adding, “I did know about this historical relevance beforehand, but I didn’t know the severity, how racially motivated it may seem from what I did.”
“Cause my protest has nothing to do with race, nothing to [do] with gender,” Lu contended.
The college senior described how he carried wooden slats to the park and built the cross on site, festooning it with a red baseball cap to symbolize MAGA and using toilet paper and lighter fluid to set it ablaze.
Lu told NBC Chicago reporter Chuck Goodie he didn’t realize that cross-burning was one of the most divisive symbols in America, saying he’d merely come across the symbol on Wikipedia.
Lu also denied that the act was intended as a hate crime, saying, “No, for sure not. In no way possible was that a hate crime. I understand why it was interpreted that way, and I apologize for that, but no, the intent was not there.”
Video of the man’s explanation was posted to X by platform owner Elon Musk with no comment:
Elaborating on his dislike of the Trump administration, Lu argued, “He’s just scamming people…We’re just scamming out of money, right. And I think that’s a great reflection of how this country works right now, where money controls everything. Money has power over health care. Money has power over transportation.”
In another interview, Lu said he didn’t want to “wait until [Trump] may or may not get impeached. I want him gone right now,” and called Trump and MAGA supporters part of the “ruling class.”
The incident sparked a manhunt, with Chicago PD releasing surveillance photos of a man witnessed fleeing the scene.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson issued a statement condemning the act, saying, “Like many Chicagoans across our city, we were deeply disturbed upon seeing the images which have emerged following this incident. Hate has no place in our city. Every Chicagoan deserves to feel safe, protected, and respected while going about their day or enjoying our public spaces. We will continue working across City government to uphold that standard and ensure Chicago remains a welcoming, inclusive, and safe place for all.”
Police reportedly have Lu in custody as a person of interest and it remains to be seen whether he’s prosecuted and what charges he may face.
Watch NBC Chicago’s full report:
Support Alex Jones by picking up an all-new Dual Carbon Platinum Gravity-Fed Water Filter System, or the popular T-3 Trifecta Iodine Tincture at TheAlexJonesStore.com.
2 Responses
Fun fact: The burning cross was originally a Scottish symbol for a declaration of war.
True! The practice of burning a cross is rooted in medieval Scottish history where a small charred or flaming cross—known as the crann tàra (fiery cross)—was used as a rapid communication tool and a dramatic declaration of war to summon clan members to battle.
It had zero connection to the death of Yahshua the Messiah, who was impaled on a straight stake, not ‘crucified’ on a ‘cross’ which was a pagan Babylonian symbol of Tammuz and of the Sun in Hinduism etc.
Listen at TheRemnantMinistry.com