A 21-year-old man is facing serious criminal charges, including a hate crime, after admitting he set a cross ablaze in a Chicago park earlier this month, according to police.
Merlin Lu publicly acknowledged to a television station this week that he was behind the cross burning at Grant Park on June 9. Despite the admission, Lu maintained that his actions were meant as a protest against President Donald Trump — not as a racial symbol targeting Black people.
According to a police statement released Wednesday night, Lu has been charged with four felonies and four misdemeanors. Those charges include a hate crime and burning a cross with intent to intimidate.
Before his arrest, Lu spoke with WMAQ-TV, saying, “I understand why it was interpreted that way, and I apologize for that, but no, the intent was not there.”
He also told the station, “I did know about this historical relevance beforehand. But I didn’t know the severity, how racially motivated it may seem from what I did. Cause my protest has nothing to do with race, nothing to do with gender.”
Lu explained that his demonstration was directed at what he called the “ruling class” and Christian nationalists who support Trump.
As of Thursday, it was unclear whether Lu had legal representation. He was set to appear before a judge for a detention hearing.
In the spot where the burning cross once stood in the park, someone placed a large, multicolored glass fiber heart bearing the word “resilient.”
According to Lu’s LinkedIn profile, he has attended college in both Indiana and Chicago and was pursuing studies in chemistry.
