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Holden Matthews Arrested in String of Louisiana Church Fires
Holden Matthews Arrested in String of Louisiana Church Fires
Matthews took an interest in black metal and pagan social media pages, which had connections to neo-Nazism and white supremacy.
04.10.19 9:48 PM ET
A 21-year-old named Holden Matthews has been arrested in connection with fires that destroyed three Louisiana churches in the span of two weeks, local news outlet KATC reports.
Throughout the end of March and in early April, three churches in rural St. Landry Parish were burned down. Matthews is reportedly the son of a St. Landry Parish Deputy, and he was booked into St. Landry Parish jail at about 5:30 this evening. Holden’s family declined to comment to The Daily Beast.
On a Facebook page that appears to belong to Matthews, he was active in black metaland pagan pages. Although both scenes are predominately apolitical, both have large neo-Nazi fanbases. Matthews commented on two memes about Varg Vikernes, a far-right (and self-described former neo-Nazi) metal musician who served 15 years in prison for burning churches in Norway and killing a fellow metal musician.
Vikernes, a practitioner of pagan beliefs, described the arsons as having been "revenge" for Christian actions against pagan Viking graves. Vikernes has been cited by other far-right killers. Norwegian white supremacist Anders Breivik sent Vikernes a copy of his manifesto before going on to kill 77 people. Atomwaffen Division, a U.S.-based neo-Nazi group with multiple murders to its name, has cited Vikernes books on paganism on their website.
Matthews commented on two memes about Vikernes. Neither comment was particularly revealing, but they indicated his familiarity with the fringe figure. The pagan circles Matthews and Vikernes frequented can be popular with neo-Nazis. Matthews frequently posted about pagan beliefs, and recently uploaded a picture of a gun and a knife with the caption "I carry this.....maybe not legally but I only truly follow the law of Odin..... which says as you said,arm yourself...... Odins advice> modern law." Odin is a pagan Norse god.
One of the pagan pages Matthews was active on specifically forbade racism and "nazi stuff." Matthews also appeared aware of the religion's white supremacist associations. In one post, a group member noted that a drawing of a pagan figure had a swastika-like design on his belt. "well yea the belt gives him extra strength and power.....white power lmao jk jk I had to," Matthews wrote."
In the span on 10 days, three predominantly black churches were destroyed in what officials described “suspicious” fires, according to The New York Times. The fires occurred at St. Mary Baptist Church, Greater Union Baptist Church, and Mount Pleasant Baptist Church on March 26, April 2, and April 4, respectively. Another “intentionally set” fire was also reported on April 7 at the predominantly white Vivian United Pentecostal Church a few hours away.
“There certainly is a commonality, and whether that leads to a person or persons or groups, we just don’t know,” State Fire Marshal H. Browning reportedly said in a news conference last week. The FBI and ATF have also investigated the fires.
Rev. Gerald Toussaint, pastor at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, told the Times the only parts left of the church were a brick wall and a corridor.
“I’m trying to find out who did it, why they did it, did it have anything to do with me,” Toussaint said. “I don’t know none of this.”
St. Landry Parish, reportedly a rural area in Louisiana, is 41 percent black and 56 percent white. Toussaint told the newspaper relations between the races were good on the whole.
On Tuesday, NAACP president Derrick Johnson called the fires evidence of “domestic terrorism” targeting people of color and their religions.
“The spike in church burnings in the Southern states is a reflection of emboldened racial rhetoric and tension spreading across the country," he said in a statement, according to ABC News. “But this is nothing new. For decades, African-American churches have served as the epicenter of survival and a symbol of hope for many in the African-American community. As a consequence, these houses of faith have historically been targets of violence.”
Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) called the apparent arsons an “affront against God himself and his children.”
“If you participated in this, you have succumbed to evil,” Higgins said, according to the Lafayette Daily Advertiser. “You will be caught. You will be arrested. You will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to KATC, Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office will hold a press conference on Thursday along with Governor John Bel Edwards and officials from St. Landry Parish, the FBI, and ATF.
@Raymond Burrr @Red Shield @Michael's Black Son @Trajan @Sukairain @YouMadd? @SupremexKing @#1 pick @Clutch Robinson @Cat piss martini @AndroidHero @Pirius Black @ba'al @panopticon @johnedwarduado
Holden Matthews Arrested in String of Louisiana Church Fires
Holden Matthews Arrested in String of Louisiana Church Fires
Matthews took an interest in black metal and pagan social media pages, which had connections to neo-Nazism and white supremacy.
04.10.19 9:48 PM ET
A 21-year-old named Holden Matthews has been arrested in connection with fires that destroyed three Louisiana churches in the span of two weeks, local news outlet KATC reports.
Throughout the end of March and in early April, three churches in rural St. Landry Parish were burned down. Matthews is reportedly the son of a St. Landry Parish Deputy, and he was booked into St. Landry Parish jail at about 5:30 this evening. Holden’s family declined to comment to The Daily Beast.
On a Facebook page that appears to belong to Matthews, he was active in black metaland pagan pages. Although both scenes are predominately apolitical, both have large neo-Nazi fanbases. Matthews commented on two memes about Varg Vikernes, a far-right (and self-described former neo-Nazi) metal musician who served 15 years in prison for burning churches in Norway and killing a fellow metal musician.
Vikernes, a practitioner of pagan beliefs, described the arsons as having been "revenge" for Christian actions against pagan Viking graves. Vikernes has been cited by other far-right killers. Norwegian white supremacist Anders Breivik sent Vikernes a copy of his manifesto before going on to kill 77 people. Atomwaffen Division, a U.S.-based neo-Nazi group with multiple murders to its name, has cited Vikernes books on paganism on their website.
Matthews commented on two memes about Vikernes. Neither comment was particularly revealing, but they indicated his familiarity with the fringe figure. The pagan circles Matthews and Vikernes frequented can be popular with neo-Nazis. Matthews frequently posted about pagan beliefs, and recently uploaded a picture of a gun and a knife with the caption "I carry this.....maybe not legally but I only truly follow the law of Odin..... which says as you said,arm yourself...... Odins advice> modern law." Odin is a pagan Norse god.
One of the pagan pages Matthews was active on specifically forbade racism and "nazi stuff." Matthews also appeared aware of the religion's white supremacist associations. In one post, a group member noted that a drawing of a pagan figure had a swastika-like design on his belt. "well yea the belt gives him extra strength and power.....white power lmao jk jk I had to," Matthews wrote."
In the span on 10 days, three predominantly black churches were destroyed in what officials described “suspicious” fires, according to The New York Times. The fires occurred at St. Mary Baptist Church, Greater Union Baptist Church, and Mount Pleasant Baptist Church on March 26, April 2, and April 4, respectively. Another “intentionally set” fire was also reported on April 7 at the predominantly white Vivian United Pentecostal Church a few hours away.
“There certainly is a commonality, and whether that leads to a person or persons or groups, we just don’t know,” State Fire Marshal H. Browning reportedly said in a news conference last week. The FBI and ATF have also investigated the fires.
Rev. Gerald Toussaint, pastor at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, told the Times the only parts left of the church were a brick wall and a corridor.
“I’m trying to find out who did it, why they did it, did it have anything to do with me,” Toussaint said. “I don’t know none of this.”
St. Landry Parish, reportedly a rural area in Louisiana, is 41 percent black and 56 percent white. Toussaint told the newspaper relations between the races were good on the whole.
On Tuesday, NAACP president Derrick Johnson called the fires evidence of “domestic terrorism” targeting people of color and their religions.
“The spike in church burnings in the Southern states is a reflection of emboldened racial rhetoric and tension spreading across the country," he said in a statement, according to ABC News. “But this is nothing new. For decades, African-American churches have served as the epicenter of survival and a symbol of hope for many in the African-American community. As a consequence, these houses of faith have historically been targets of violence.”
Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) called the apparent arsons an “affront against God himself and his children.”
“If you participated in this, you have succumbed to evil,” Higgins said, according to the Lafayette Daily Advertiser. “You will be caught. You will be arrested. You will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to KATC, Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office will hold a press conference on Thursday along with Governor John Bel Edwards and officials from St. Landry Parish, the FBI, and ATF.
@Raymond Burrr @Red Shield @Michael's Black Son @Trajan @Sukairain @YouMadd? @SupremexKing @#1 pick @Clutch Robinson @Cat piss martini @AndroidHero @Pirius Black @ba'al @panopticon @johnedwarduado
