Mahony Condemns Arson at First AME Zion Church

Cardinal Roger Mahony and the Anti-Defamation League have condemned the July 21 arson at the First AME Zion Church in the Adams District, and vowed to support its pastor and congregation.

The suspicious, early morning blaze, which caused more than $1 million in damage, is being investigated by the multi-agency House of Worship Arson Task Force, which includes the city fire and police departments, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

“An attack against your church is a direct attack against each and every church,” Mahony wrote in a letter to the Rev. Windle Tucker, First AME Zion’s pastor. “We feel deeply the attack which you have suffered, and I am writing to assure you of my solidarity and that of our Roman Catholic Church.”

Sue Stengel, a spokeswoman for the Anti-Defamation League, also wrote to denounce the attack and offer support.

“We must send a message to the perpetrators of hate that our country’s commitment to civil rights and respect for religious freedom is intractable, and attempts to undermine these most basic tenets of our democracy will not be tolerated,” she wrote.

The Los Angeles City Council posted a $20,000 reward Thursday for information leading to the person who set the fire, which destroyed the church’s sanctuary.

Last week, officials from the Walt Disney Co. said the Burbank entertainment firm offered to help the church rebuild.