Someone has hung two anti-Catholic signs on the fence outside the entrance to the historic St. Joseph Catholic Church in downtown Pensacola, across from M.C. Blanchard Judicial Building and near Pensacola City Hall.
One sign states “Ye Must Be Born Again” with “No Hope” and “In Pope” hand-painted in blood-red letters. The other states “For It Is Time To See The Lord” adorned with “Only Jesus” also painted in red.
St. Joseph Catholic Church was begun by the Sisters of Mercy for blacks and creoles in Pensacola in 1877. The present Gothic Revival style church was built in 1894. On July 10, 1979, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
The Florida Uniform Crime Reporting Program defines Hate Crime as a committed or attempted criminal act by any person or group of persons against a person or the property of another person or group, which in any way constitutes an expression of hatred toward the victim because of his/her personal characteristics. Personal characteristics include:
- race/color
- gender/gender identity
- religion
- ethnicity/ancestry/national origin
- sexual orientation
- advanced age
- mental/physical disability
- homeless status