Naperville Native Claims He Burned Cross In Grant Park: Reports

NAPERVILLE, IL — Merlin Lu, 21, a former Naperville man claims he burned a cross in Grant Park to protest Trump, according to an interview with NBC5.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Chicago police said a person of interest was in custody in connection with the June 9 cross-burning incident, but that person's name had not been made public.

Chicago police (CPD) were alerted of the burning cross around 2:30 p.m. on June 9. CPD later shared surveillance images of a shirtless man running from the scene.

In the wake of the incident, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson shared the following statement on X,

“Like many Chicagoans across our city, I was deeply disturbed upon seeing the images which have emerged following this incident. The Chicago Police Department's investigation remains ongoing, and we are committed to ensuring there is a full and thorough review of what occurred.

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.”

Saint Sabina Church Pastor Dr. Michael Pfleger also condemned the incident, offering $10,000 for information that leads to an arrest.

Lu, who attends University of Illinois Chicago, told NBC, "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. Cause my protest has nothing to do with race, nothing to with gender."

After the NBC interview, Pfleger took to social media to challenge Lu's claims.

Pfleger wrote, "So the guy that burned the Cross is a Senior in college. But says he never knew that was a symbol of Hate. Yet you went to the trouble to make a cross. SORRY-DON’T BUY IT. Your Lawyer Schooled you well."

Lu graduated from Neuqua Valley High School, where he played tennis competitively, in 2022, according to LinkedIn and Maxpreps.

More via NBC 5