With bipartisan support, the Alaska House passed a bill that would make vandalism on churches and religious property a felony. House Bill 238 is sponsored by Democrat Rep. Andy Josephson of Anchorage, who said in his floor remarks that vandalism against religious property affects an entire congregation, whereas vandalism against a building affects fewer people.
Attacks on churches increased dramatically beginning in May of 2020, following the death of George Floyd, a violent felon and drug addict who died while being restrained by police in Minneapolis. According to the Catholic Vote, 300 attacks against Catholic Churches in America occurred since the Floyd death, which also fed widespread rioting in cities as unrest led up to the 2020 presidential election.
“The attacks include decapitation of statues, arson, satanic graffiti and broken windows. Around 118 incidents of attack have been recorded since the Supreme Court decision which overturned Roe v. Wade in May 2022,” the group said.
The overturn of federal abortion protection in Dobbs v. Jackson was leaked to the media by someone in the U.S. Supreme Court, creating a fresh wave of church vandalism in 2022.
Churches in Alaska were not spared. A church in Eagle River was vandalized three times in an 18-month period after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. A swastika was burned onto the lawn at Mountain City Church. Religious icons in the Emmonak Catholic Church were smashed.
The bill was supported by all but five members, and those opposing it came from the Democrat and Republican camps: Reps. David Eastman, of Wasilla and Will Stapp of Fairbanks were the no votes from the Republican caucus. Ashley Carrick of Fairbanks; Sara Hannan of Juneau and CJ McCormick of Bethel were the Democrats who voted no.
The bill now is in the Senate for consideration.
