WASHINGTON
Local authorities are investigating the burning of six black churches in five southern states, the White House said Monday.
"We have seen some extremists carry out acts of violence against the black church or against black churches across the country, recognizing the power of such violent displays," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest, adding that police have the responsibility to conduct investigations and federal resources will back them up if needed.
In the week after nine blacks were fatally shot at Emanuel AME Church in South Carolina by a white male gunman, churches in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina and Tennessee were set on fire and three of the fires are being investigated as arson. Three of the fires have been rules arson while the causes in the others are still being determined.
No one has been injured in the fires but many of the churches were completely destroyed.
"They're being investigated to determine who is responsible and what motives are behind them," according to FBI spokesman Paul Bresson told BuzzFeed News.
