Vandals target historic churchBy David Slade (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Tyrone Walker The Rev. David Riley, pastor of Holy Trinity Reformed Episcopal Church, said vandals threw bricks that shattered window panes of the sanctuary on Bull Street in Charleston. The Rev. David Riley looked at the shattered row of 19th- century windows along the side of Holy Trinity Reformed Episcopal Church and shook his head. Inside the church at 51 Bull St. in downtown Charleston, the bricks and rocks apparently thrown through windows in the early morning hours Wednesday lay among the pews, surrounded by shards of glass. "I just don't get it," Riley said. "Why would you choose a church over anywhere else?" One window of an unoccupied historic home undergoing renovation next door to the church also was broken. At the church, all four windows on the east side of the building were damaged, with bricks having destroyed some of the framing, as well as the clear panes of glass. "Those windows are as old as the church," said Riley, noting that the building was completed in 1880. "We've never had any problem (before), whatsoever." "It could be anything — it could be Satan worship," he said. "I don't want to say it was racial, but we're the only black church around here." Cindi Gasparre, president of the Harleston Village Neighborhood Association, said the sort of vandalism experienced by the church is unusual in the community, and she was surprised to learn about it. "It was probably some drunken young people," she said. "It sounds like an isolated incident." Reach David Slade at 937-5552 or dslade@post andcourier.com. |
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Comments
This article has 13 comment(s)
Posted by Tammie on June 26, 2008 at 9:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope they catch whoever did this. That was stupid and senseless.
Posted by Girleygirl on June 26, 2008 at 10:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Very stupid Tammie! Even if they were kids having fun...stupid SOB
Posted by Tammie on June 26, 2008 at 10:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I saw this on the news last night and the pastor looked like he wanted to cry. Even though they could get the windows replaced, according to the pastor, those were the original windows the church recieved when it was built.
Posted by 512c on June 26, 2008 at 10:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm so sad to hear that my near neighbor has been disrespected. I don't think it was satan worship, but, more likely drunk red necks (college students are still red necks if they are racist).
Posted by Yeah_I_said_it on June 26, 2008 at 11:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry SOBs. Please catch them and beat the crap out of them for this. Stupid idiots.
Posted by Early on June 26, 2008 at 11:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You really have to have no conscious to do something like this. i don't care if your not religious, you have to be heartless, cruel and stupid.
Posted by BigSargeofSC on June 26, 2008 at 12:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think they were drunk blacks who have issues with any sort of authority.
I know. Post sound just as stupid as 512c's post, don't it?
"Sooner or later, God will cut you down." - Johnny Cash
Posted by scnative4ever on June 26, 2008 at 2:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
any person that vandalizes a church is sick scumb of the earth and there is no excuse for it. If these vandals turn out to be white it should be prosecuted as a hate crime. they should be prosecuted to the fullest of the law. there is no reason for this crap and if it's a white person or persons they should be forced to clean up and repair it, they should have to stand in front of this congregation and apologize and they should also be taken out back and have the crap beat out of them. then they can go serve there time. this pastor was very noble on the news and was insisting on forgiveness. That's a good man, but he also wants justice and that too he should receive. God Bless this Church and their fine pastor.
Posted by Yeah_I_said_it on June 26, 2008 at 3:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
There was church in the neighborhood where I grew up that was vandalized by a group of kids almost once a month. They were a group of stupid white miscreants that had nothing more to do on a Saturday night than to spray paint obscenities all over the church board outside and throw rocks through the windows. And they would wait until Saturday night to do it so that the members of the church would see it when they went for service the next morning. Evil little bastards. They finally caught them because the police wised up and staked the church out on some Saturday nights. They were made to pay for all of the repairs for the church and then some in restitution.
Posted by drp7773 on June 26, 2008 at 4:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Some people are just trash and scum bum. Trash a church is just plain stupid.......PS hey Rev, your story was bad and sad enough there was no reason to bring the race card in, But I do wish you and your congregation the best :)
Posted by Yeah_I_said_it on June 26, 2008 at 4:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't think it was the race card, it was an observation and an angle that the police may want to look at.
Posted by drp7773 on June 26, 2008 at 5:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think the cops would have figured that out on their own, and to say that in the print was every bit of a race card or at the very least a reckless statement.
Posted by Yeah_I_said_it on June 26, 2008 at 9:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's no different than when someone commits a crime and people on this board state that the perp is probably black. I am sure the cops have that figured out already as well, but it doesn't keep it from being said.
I see nothing reckless about making a statement based on certain observations and facts.