AME church cemetery target of suspected hate crime

State police are investigating vandalism at a cemetery run by the historic Byrd’s African Methodist Episcopal Church in Clayton as a hate crime.

The Foreman-Massey Cemetery, located two and a half miles away from the church building, was vandalized sometime over the weekend. Headstones and signs were defaced with spray paint and vulgar messages were left on them, said Shakaira Logan. Master Corporal Gary Fournier confirmed that the investigation is ongoing into the apparent hate crime. No suspects have been developed at this time, Fournier said.

Logan, who has family buried in the cemetery, said she found out about the vandalism Sunday morning just as she was leaving home to attend services at the church.

“We consider it to be a hate crime being that we are an African American church and there is a swastika and other hateful messages,” Logan said.

Several grave markers were defaced and damaged, one was knocked over and another had its foundation kicked in.

Wayfinding signs at the cemetery were covered in black spray-painted messages, including vulgarities and swastikas.

Bernard H. Williams Sr., head trustee at the church, said they were notified by residents in the area who were concerned.

“After church we went there and checked it out,” Williams said, noting that Rev. Dawn S. Christopher notified those at the service about the vandalism.

“I think we were targeted,” Williams said.

More than a year ago, a sign outside the church building was vandalized with a swastika and racially charged messages in permanent marker, Williams said. That incident was reported to Clayton Police although the perpetrator was never found, he said.

“They just said they would monitor the area and keep an eye out on what was going on,” Williams said.

This time, Williams said, the vandalism reaches a new level by desecrating sacred ground.

Williams said residents said they first saw the vandalism Saturday morning, but he is not ready to write off the incident as kids on a tear the night before Halloween.

“I’m not going to blame it on some young people playing a prank,” he said. “I think it was some more people that were involved in this. What it represents is very negative. It is a hate crime. It is racism.”

Williams said he believes the cemetery was targeted because it is run by the AME church, which has recently been made the center of hate crimes, including in June when Dylann Roof, a white man, attended a bible study at the Emanuel AME church in Charleston, South Carolina, and opened fire killing nine people.

Locally, the St. James AME church in Frederica was burglarized last year, allegedly, police believe, by the same two Kent County men arrested for setting fire to three other churches.

Byrd’s AME church was built in 1894 for the growing African-American population in the area, who traditionally walked several miles to the Mt. Friendship AME Church, according to the church’s website. It is a loving worship place for a small congregation, Logan said.

Williams said while he and other congregants are angry, they have no malice for whomever vandalized the cemetery.

“I’m not necessarily angry in the sense of retaliation,” said Logan. “We are people of God and we forgive. We want it to be handled.”

Any information about the incident can be sent to State Police through Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333 or www.tipsubmit.com.

Contact Jenna Pizzi at jpizzi@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2837. Follow her on Twitter @JennaPizzi.