The Department of Justice charged a 20-year-old Ohio man who attempted to burn down a church that was planning to host a drag show event. The FBI alleges the suspect belonged to a pro-Nazi “White Lives Matter” group.
Man who firebombed Ohio church charged by DOJ
Authorities arrested Aimenn Penny, 20, of Alliance, Ohio, who was charged last week with one count of malicious use of explosive materials and one count of possessing a destructive device, according to a DOJ statement, NBC News reported.
According to the criminal complaint, Penny used “Molotov cocktails against the Community Church of Chesterland in Chesterland, Ohio, in an attempt to burn the church to the ground.”
Evidence of Molotov cocktails recovered by authorities
The FBI claims Penny confessed that he attempted to burn down the church using Molotov cocktails “to protect the children and stop the drag show event,” according to the criminal complaint.
According to the affidavit, the Ohio church was targeted in the early morning hours of Saturday, March 25. The church was damaged, with scorch marks on the front door, scorch marks on the sign on the exterior of the building, and a broken sign on the southeast corner of the property, according to the FBI, CNN reported.
Investigators recovered broken glass pieces from a beer bottle and a vodka bottle, each of which contained a cloth-type material, according to the affidavit. Investigators also found a burnt matchstick and a blue plastic spray bottle that was filled with gasoline near the damaged door.
Suspect member of hate group, FBI claims
According to an affidavit filed in court, the FBI claims that Penny is a member of “White Lives Matter,” which it says is a group that holds “racist, pro-Nazi, and homophobic views.”
Penny allegedly attended and took part in a protest held by members of the “White Lives Matter” group who showed up at a March 11 drag queen event in Wadsworth. Protesters were carrying flags with swastikas and yelling homophobic slurs, according to prosecutors. Penny allegedly was dressed in military-style gear and carried a firearm at the event, ABC 7 Chicago reported.
According to the affidavit, when police interviewed Penny after handing out racist flyers last October, he reportedly told them he believed African Americans were the “problem” and that there was a civil war coming between races.
