'Black Lives Matter' Sign's Repeat Vandal Confesses: Police

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ANNAPOLIS, MD — An Annapolis woman has reportedly confessed to three recent acts of vandalism of the “Black Lives Matter” sign at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, police say.

Chari Raye McLean, 56, of the 600 block of Admiral Drive in Annapolis, was charged with two counts of destruction of property for incidents on April 21 and March 1.

An Anne Arundel County Police officer was called early Thursday morning to the church at 730 Bestgate Road in Annapolis for a reported destruction of property.

Police say the word “Black” was covered with black spray paint so the sign read, “Lives Matter.”

McLean already faced charges for allegedly vandalizing the sign on Dec. 21, 2015.

When police talked to her Thursday afternoon, she reportedly confessed to the most recent defacement of the sign, along with the Dec. 21 incident and a March 1 vandalism of the sign.

On its Facebook page, the church posted this plea from a supporter: “ACTION NOW! LOVE and SUPPORT being offered to Saint Philip's Episcopal Church on Bestgate. Please stop by and bring flowers, signs of support to the members at the church. This is the SEVENTH sign. We must stand up and unite ‪#‎Annapolis! It needs to be okay to say ‪#‎BlackLivesMatter.”

The Black Lives Matter movement grew out of the acquittal of George Zimmerman in Florida for the shooting death of black teenager Trayvon Martin. Subsequently it has been a rallying cry in protests over police-involved deaths of African-Americans in Ferguson, MO, New York City and during last year’s Baltimore riots.

Since Oct. 16, 12 signs have been reported stolen, and four have been damaged at St. Philip's and three other Annapolis area churches: Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis, Annapolis Friends Meeting House and United Church of Christ Annapolis in Edgewater, The Capital-Gazette reports.

"People truly don't understand what the Black Lives Matter message means," County Police spokesman Lt. Ryan Frashure told the newspaper. "Their message is not that only black lives matter. ... They do believe that all lives matter."

Anyone with information on any of the acts of vandalism is asked to contact the police at 410-222-1960.

»Photo of suspect Chari Raye McLean, courtesy of Anne Arundel County Police