Man charged with hate crime in cross burning in Chicago park
NBC News • • nation
Key Points:
- Merlin Lu, a 21-year-old University of Illinois Chicago senior, was arrested on hate crime charges for setting fire to a cross in Grant Park, Chicago, on June 9, causing damage to city property.
- Lu admitted to burning the cross as a protest against the Trump administration, placing a red "Make America Great Again" hat on top, but denied any racial or hate crime intent, stating his protest was not about race or gender.
- Police charged Lu with four felonies, including two hate crime counts, arson, and damage to city property, as well as four misdemeanors related to breach of peace, reckless conduct, and cross burning to intimidate.
- In a video received by NBC Chicago, Lu apologized for offending people, denied any affiliation with the Ku Klux Klan, and criticized President Trump, calling for his removal from office.
- Lu remained in custody as of Wednesday night, with a detention hearing scheduled for Thursday; it was unclear if he had legal representation.
