PolitiFact: Protesters Did Not Start The Fire That Destroyed Minn. Church

There’s no evidence to support a bogus Instagram claim that protesters set fire to a century-old church in Minneapolis this week.

PolitiFact, an independent fact-checking source that's part of Poynter, followed up on an Instagram post claiming that the blaze stemmed from a protest by Black Lives Matter and Antifa in the wake of former officer Derek Chauvin’s trial. Chauvin was found guilty on in the death of George Floyd in May 2020. The guilty verdict comes shortly after former officer Kim Potter fatally shot Daunte Wright.

Though tensions ran high, there’s nothing to connect activists associated with Black Lives Matter or Antifa to the fire at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, according to PolitiFact.

The fire collapsed the roof of the church that dates back more than 100 years. It broke out Monday (April 19). The cause remains under investigation.

Shortly after the fire, the son of the church’s residing pastor of over 25 years started a Go Fund Me campaign to raise money to help rebuild. The campaign has raised more than $16,600 of its $50,000 goal as of Friday (April 23).

“The fire spread to multiple parts of the church, parts of the roof have collapsed, and right now, it looks like most of the contents of the church will be unsalvageable,” the organizer wrote. “This church has already been heavily impacted due to COVID-19. We are hoping that the community of Minneapolis can help us come together and quickly recover from this loss.”

Photo: Getty Images