On June 9, 2026, police and firefighters responded to a burning cross in Chicago’s Grant Park.
The incident prompted immediate backlash, and one local church offered a $10,000 reward to help make an arrest, and local officials were quick to blame the incident on racism and ‘white supremacists.’
Block Club Chicago reports that Rev. Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Church, who offered the reward, noted, “Racism has always been a part of America’s DNA, and this week it has raised its head boldly and loudly,” Pfleger said in a statement.
“This bold rise of racism must be condemned by every race, faith community, and Chicagoan as was done with the swastika and treated as a hate crime.”
In a statement Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Brandon Johnson said the police investigation “remains ongoing.”
“Like many Chicagoans across our city, we were deeply disturbed upon seeing the images which have emerged following this incident,” the statement said. “Hate has no place in our city. Every Chicagoan deserves to feel safe, protected, and respected while going about their day or enjoying our public spaces.”
Several members of the council’s Black Caucus learned about the incident Wednesday morning when asked about it by Block Club Chicago. Ald. Greg Mitchell (7th) was initially speechless when a reporter showed him a photo of the burning cross.
“I can’t believe it’s 2026, we are still dealing with stuff like that … That’s the simplest I can put it,” Mitchell said.
As it turns out, however, the cross-burner is an Asian man, Merlin Lu, who burned the cross, adorned with a MAGA hat, to protest President Trump and MAGA.
I look forward to Gov. Pritzker holding Merlin Lu accountable because (MAGA) hate has no home here in Illinois, right? pic.twitter.com/qBjzdhNYJN
— Dan Proft (@DanProft) June 16, 2026
Lu, a senior at the University of Illinois Chicago, spoke with NBC.
“He’s just scamming people,” Lu told the reporter.
“We’re just being scammed out of money, right. And I think that’s a great reflection of how this country works right now, where money controls everything.”
As for burning the cross, which the Anti-Defamation League says is one of the “most potent hate symbols in the United States,” Lu responded, “I wanted to find something that I could do by myself, like no organization, no friends,” he added.
“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.”
Watch:
The Gateway Pundit reached out to local police for additional comment and will be updated if a response occurs.
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