At 03:35AM on February 21st, 2018, an arson attack shook the district of Puente Alto, affecting the San Esteban parish located at the intersection of Los Toros and Nonato Coo.
The incendiary attack was caused by Molotov cocktails thrown at the Catholic temple, causing partial damage to it, in addition to burning the caretaker’s house. Outside the church a large spraypainted slogan was found claiming the action that read ‘RAPISTS AND MURDERERS’.
The parish priest Alejandro Vial, stated to the media: “There were two fires, the side door of the church was burned as well as the entrance of the caretaker’s house. The stained glass windows in one of the church rooms were broken with bottles. On the footpath outside they painted the words ‘RAPISTS AND MURDERERS’. They also threw some paint on the walls”.
Firefighters rapidly attended the scene and quickly put out the fire, also in attendance were specialized police personnel led by the public prosecutor Claudio Orellana, a self-proclaimed expert in the field of incendiary and explosive attacks.
The attack occurred during the days when Archbishop Scicluna was sent by Pope Francis to investigate allegations of sexual abuse against the Bishop of Osorno, Juan Barros.
According to the prosecution, the same temple suffered an arson attack on January 24th, days after the Pope’s visit to Chile.
Apart from the painted slogan, no group has claimed the attack so far.
(via Noticias de la Guerra Social, translated by Insurrection News)
via insurrectionnewsworldwide.com
