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Arson experts in Texas are investigating after a church says someone intentionally set fire to its front doors a church over the weekend, after church leaders said it was recently targeted for criticism in a video by an anti-LGBTQ hate group.
The alleged arson took place at Community Unitarian Universalist Church of Plano, about 20 miles northeast of Dallas.
The church, part of the Unitarian Universalist Association, is a faith community of more than 1,000 congregations that “bring to the world a vision of religious freedom, tolerance, and social justice.”
‘A firebomb attack’
On the day of the fire, a passerby spotted flames coming from the church between 12 and 12:30 a.m. local time, the church said in a statement on its Facebook page. Arriving firefighters with Plano Fire-Rescue found smoke and flames near the building’s front door and quickly put it out, officials said.
Church officials said the front door, materials directly outside the front doors, and the entrance foyer all sustained damage in the blaze.
In its social media post, the church called the incident “a firebomb attack” and said an incendiary device with a chemical accelerant was thrown or placed at the front doors of the church building.
Plano-Fire Rescue reported the fire marshal is also reviewing video footage from nearby street and building cameras.
The church posted Sunday morning worship services were still held with added security from police.
Church had been reviewing security after hate group incident
“Church officials have been reviewing building security and working with the Plano Police Department since the intrusion of a hate group in the church building during and after Worship Service on Sunday, June 25,” the post reads. “That group has posted video of their activities inside the church on various social media sites.”
The post referred to a visit from right-wing content creator Bo Alford, who goes by “bodittle” on social media, less than a month earlier, NBC reported.
Church board member Jodie Zoeller Bloom told the outlet the statement is about Alford’s video, titled “We acted LGBT at LGBT Church,” which he uploaded to YouTube on July 12.
The video has since been taken down, but the outlet reported the footage included Alford, YouTuber Cassady Campbell and another unidentified person film themselves inside the church asking members about their respective beliefs while, “pretending to be LGBTQ testing the church’s theology and exposing false teachers.”
Authorities have not confirmed a connection between the video and the fire.
‘Profound wave of love’
In an update from the church release Tuesday, church officials expressed gratitude to not only first responders but the community.
“In the dark hours immediately following the firebombing incident on July 23, as church officials stood among the broken glass and rubble of the fire, we could not have possibly imagined the profound wave of love that we would receive as a result,” the church posted on Facebook. “We are humbled and uplifted by your overwhelming expressions of support.”
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Suspect remains at large
The Plano Police Department told local outlet Fox4 news no one was injured in the blaze and Plano Fire-Rescue is leading the investigation.
As of Friday no suspect had been named in the case and the fire remained under investigation by arson experts.
Church leaders posted online regular services will take place on Sunday.
Natalie Neysa Alund covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.
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