Grant Park Cross Burning: Hate Crime Charges Filed Against Naperville Native

CHICAGO, IL — A former Naperville man has been charged with a hate crime after he admitted to setting a cross on fire in Chicago's Grant Park on June 9.

Merlin Lu, 21, was charged with felony counts of hate crime, arson and damaging state property. He also faces misdemeanor charges of criminal damage to property, reckless conduct, disorderly conduct and cross burning to intimidate.

The charges come just days after Lu told NBC's Chuck Goudie that he burned the cross, but was not aware of the racist implications of the action and intended it as a protest against the Trump administration.

According to Chicago police, Lu was arrested June 15 in the 1400 block of South Halsted.

The cross was set on fire around 2:30 p.m. on June 9, according to Chicago police. They later shared surveillance images of a shirtless man fleeing the scene.

In the wake of the cross burning, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson denounced the hate crime on X, saying he was "deeply disturbed upon seeing the images which have emerged following this incident."

He continued, "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. We will continue working across city government to uphold that standard and ensure Chicago remains a welcoming, inclusive, and safe place for all.”

Lu was set to appear in court for a detention hearing Monday.