The suspect, who was also wearing a rainbow face covering and pushing a bicycle, scrawled “anti-gay cult” on the fa\u00e7ade of the Refuge Church of Christ in Far Rockaway, Queens, at around 1:40 a.m. on Oct. 5, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) said. Far Rockaway is the southernmost neighborhood in the borough of Queens.<\/p>\n
Minutes later, the rainbow-clad suspect allegedly tagged the neighboring City of Oasis Church of Deliverance with the same anti-Christian message, police said. Both churches are on Mott Avenue.<\/p>\n
In a security video released by the NYPD, the suspect was captured scrawling “anti-gay cult” in black paint on the fa\u00e7ade of one of the churches.\u00a0<\/p>\n
ATTACKS ON US CHURCHES HAVE RISEN SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE 2021, REPORT FINDS<\/a><\/p>\n Surveillance footage released by police shows “anti-gay cult” spray-painted outside of one of the impacted churches in Queens, New York. (New York City Police Department (NYPD))<\/p>\n At about 2 a.m., the suspect spray-painted “Welcome Cult Members” on the wall of St. Mary\u2019s Star of the Sea Church on New Haven Avenue and wrote “cult” multiple times on the sidewalks outside, police said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The suspect also defaced two religious statues, painting over their faces, police said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Police said the person is wanted in connection with multiple acts of criminal mischief as a hate crime and<\/a> the NYPD Hate Crime Task Force is investigating.<\/p>\n Father Francis Shannon, who has been a priest at St. Mary\u2019s Star of the Sea Church for more than eight years, said he was saddened to learn of the graffiti.<\/a><\/p>\n FIRST AMERICAN POPE TO WELCOME HOLLYWOOD STARS TO VATICAN FOR RARE HOLY YEAR AUDIENCE<\/a><\/p>\n The NYPD released split surveillance images showing a suspect carrying a rainbow flag and pushing a bicycle after allegedly defacing three Queens churches with “anti-Christian” graffiti during an Oct. 5, 2025, hate-crime spree. (New York City Police Department (NYPD))<\/p>\n “It was really heartbreaking learning about the vandalism. I was at my mother\u2019s house, and as soon as it happened, I got sent pictures,” Shannon, 67, told the Post. “So when I woke up, I saw them, and it was just really sad.”<\/p>\n “I think this is more of a statement than a hate crime, just anti-institution kind of stuff,” he said.<\/p>\n A surveillance image released by the NYPD shows the suspect carrying a rainbow flag while riding a bicycle shortly before allegedly defacing three Queens churches with “anti-Christian” graffiti during an Oct. 5, 2025, hate-crime spree. (New York City Police Department (NYPD))<\/p>\n![\"Graffiti](\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1200\/675\/pride-flag-suspect-graffiti.jpg?ve=1&tl=1\")
<\/p>\n![\"Split](\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1200\/675\/pride-flag-split-hate-crime.jpg?ve=1&tl=1\")
<\/p>\n![\"Surveillance](\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1200\/675\/pride-flag-suspect-with-bicycle.jpg?ve=1&tl=1\")
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