Austin Fire Department (AFD) arson investigators said Wednesday that a Texas man was arrested and charged with setting fire to the Austin Synagogue on Halloween.
The 18-year-old Franklin Barrett Sechriest was charged with arson for allegedly igniting the door of the former temple of the Beth Israel congregation, causing an “external small fire.” According to AFD, the fire escalated to sweep the front door of the building.
According to reports, the synagogue was empty at about 9 pm and no one was injured.
The department later tweeted a picture of the charred synagogue after the fire, and arson investigators said this caused approximately $25,000 in damage.
AFD was at the scene of a small external fire at 3901 Shoal Creek Blvd in Congregation Beth Israel. The fire went out. No injuries. The arson investigator responded to assist in determining the cause. pic.twitter.com/hgMvJNAk5o
-Austin Fire Info (@AustinFireInfo) November 1, 2021
Authorities said that surveillance video outside the congregation showed that Sykrist was driving a jeep to the parking lot with a “heavy green kettle” in his hand. Authorities said the video showed that when Sechrist left the scene, the fire started from four different angles.
Allegedly, additional surveillance video showed that Sechriest was spying on the synagogue a few days before the arson. Authorities said that in the video, the same jeep seen on the night of the fire can be seen driving into the building and then driving away.
The investigation is ongoing and also involves the FBI (FBI) And the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).
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Rabbi Kelly Levy, assistant to the congregation Beth Israel, said: “As a Texan, this kind of hatred broke my heart.”
“We will be compassionate and determined, because our love for humans has strengthened our resistance to hatred,” Levy added at an interreligious gathering held the day after the fire.
In addition, Austin Mayor Steve Adler stated that he “is heartbroken to see anti-Semitism hatred in this enthusiastic and respected place in Austin. Any form of hatred is in our city. There is no place to stand.”
The arson is the latest in a series of recent anti-Semitism in the Austin area.
Scrawled anti-Semitic graffiti was recently spotted on parking spaces and tool sheds at Anderson High School. According to reports, this school has a considerable number of Jewish students, and a local rabbi called it “a community school for families living in the facilities of the Dell Jewish Community Campus.”
Then, the day before the arson, a member of the anti-Semitic hate organization Goyim National Defense League unfurled a banner on the highway overpass, which ADL described as “a small network of anti-Semitic provocateurs.”
According to reports, the banner read “Jew Vaks” and was only a few blocks away from a large Jewish community center. According to reports, the person holding the banner also paid a Nazi salute to passing motorists.
According to reports, this is the second time this banner has been seen in the Austin area, and the first time it happened in late October.
In addition to these events, Austin police The Department (APD) also faced criticism after seeing one of their policemen punching and kicking with a well-known member of the Goyim Defense League in social media photos.
In response to this photo, APD Director Joseph Chaken issued a statement saying, “Hate and bigotry have absolutely no place in our community, and our police station certainly does not welcome hatred and bigotry.”
Weekly newspaper ADL has been contacted for comments.
