A 21-year-old man accused of setting a cross on fire in one of Chicago’s most famous parks is now facing a hate crime charge, even as he claims the shocking display was meant as an anti-Trump protest and not an act of racial intimidation.
Chicago police said Merlin Lu has been charged with a hate crime, arson and several other offenses after a wooden cross was set ablaze in Grant Park on June 9.
The disturbing incident immediately sparked outrage because of the cross burning’s long and ugly history as a symbol of terror used against Black Americans.
Lu later admitted to WMAQ-TV that he was responsible for the burning cross, but insisted he was not trying to send a racist message.
“I understand why it was interpreted that way, and I apologize for that, but no, the intent was not there,” Lu told the station before his arrest.
According to police, Lu is now facing four felony charges and four misdemeanor charges, including a hate crime and burning a cross to intimidate.
The incident unfolded in Grant Park, a major public space in downtown Chicago, where a wooden cross was seen engulfed in orange flames while leaning against a tree. Video of the scene was captured by a passing motorist and later drew widespread attention.
Police also released surveillance footage of Lu when he was still considered a person of interest in the case.
Lu claimed his protest was aimed at what he described as the “ruling class” and Christian nationalists who support President Donald Trump. He told the TV station the act had “nothing to do with race” and “nothing to do with gender.”
But he also admitted he knew the symbol carried historical meaning before he set it on fire.
“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,” Lu said.
The case comes as left-wing anti-Trump rhetoric continues to grow more heated across the country, with critics warning that political anger is increasingly spilling into public spectacles that alarm ordinary Americans.
In this case, authorities say the spectacle crossed a serious legal line.
A booking photo released by the Chicago Police Department showed Lu after his arrest. Police said he was scheduled to appear in court for a detention hearing.
It was not immediately clear Thursday whether Lu had an attorney who could comment on the charges.
In the aftermath of the burning cross, someone placed a large, multicolored glass fiber heart with the word “resilient” at the same spot in the park.
Lu’s LinkedIn page says he attended college in Indiana and Chicago and had been studying chemistry.
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Give him jail time and not a slap on the hand and then deport him!
I agree; he deserves jail time but we are talking Chicago. He also needs to go!