- Racist arsonist admitted to burning down historic civil rights center, causing $1.2M in damage.
- Arsonist also pleaded guilty to attempting to aid a foreign terrorist organization (Hezbollah).
- Despite the destruction, the center remains a symbol of civil rights activism and education.
Bigots gon’ bigot. Terrorist gon’ terrorize.
According to reporting from the AP News, a Tennessee man with ties to white supremacist movements has pleaded guilty to carrying out a 2019 arson attack that severely damaged a historic civil rights institution in Nashville, Tennessee. Regan Prater admitted to setting fire to an office building at the Highlander Research and Education Center, a site long associated with training and supporting prominent civil rights leaders.
The fire, which occurred in March 2019, caused more than $1.2 million in damage and destroyed decades’ worth of irreplaceable materials, including archives documenting the history of the Civil Rights Movement. The center has played a significant role in American history, having hosted figures such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. during pivotal moments in the struggle for racial equality.
Authorities linked Prater to the attack through online messages shared in white supremacist group chats. It continues to be astounding that criminals believe they can hide on the internet despite the plethora of cases that have been solved based on digital footprints. According to court documents cited by the AP, Prater, under the sceen name “Rooster” described exactly how the fire was set using a makeshift incendiary device involving a “sparkler bomb and some Napalm.” Investigators also found a white supremacist symbol spray-painted near the scene, further reinforcing the motivation behind the attack. Clearly, this guy wasn’t very smart or a very good criminal.
In addition to the arson charge, Prater pleaded guilty to attempting to aid a foreign terrorist organization. Prosecutors accused him of trying to provide Hezbollah with personal information about individuals he believed were connected to the Israeli government. This additional charge significantly broadened the scope of the case beyond run-of-the-mill domestic extremism.
Prater’s criminal history includes a separate 2019 arson at an adult store in Tennessee, for which he previously served a five-year federal prison sentence. Evidence in that earlier case included video footage recovered from his cellphone showing the fire being set. Buy one charge, get another one free? Don’t mind if we do! Under a plea agreement, he faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for September in Knoxville.
Despite the destruction, the Highlander Center remains symbolically significant, representing a legacy of activism and education that will not be erased.
We hope the judge throws every book in the library at this guy.
