Sep 23, 2022 - Politics & Policy

Mississippi man charged with hate crime after allegedly burning cross

Shawna Chen

Photo of the Mississippi state flag flying from a pole as the sun sets — The new Mississippi state flag flies outside the Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi on Nov. 14, 2020. Photo: Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

A Mississippi man has been charged with hate crime and arson violations for burning a cross in a bid to threaten a Black family, the Justice Department announced Friday.

The big picture: The Klu Klux Klan wielded cross burnings as a symbol of racial hatred and terror, with white supremacists deliberately targeting Black neighborhoods. Though less frequent today, the intimidation tactic remains a tool for racism and oppression.

Driving the news: Axel C. Cox, 23, allegedly burned the cross in his front yard because of the victims' race and hurled racially derogatory comments at his Black neighbors on Dec. 3, 2020.

If convicted, Cox faces up to 10 years in prison for interfering with the family's housing rights based on racial discrimination and a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison consecutive to any other sentence for using fire to commit a federal felony, according to the DOJ.

What they're saying: "This is another stark reminder of how bigotry, racism, and hate-fueled violence are alive and well in our country. Mississippi is no exception," Vangela M. Wade, president of the Mississippi Center for Justice, told AP.

"The fight to dismantle Mississippi’s deeply entrenched culture of injustice and a better tomorrow continues. We are thankful for the courage of the members of the federal grand jury to indict this hate crime."

What to watch: Cox's jury trial is slated to start Nov. 7, per AP.

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Mississippi man charged with hate crime after allegedly burning cross

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