"It pained me especially to see our name, Asbury, in flames," the Rev Dr Ianther Mills, the senior pastor at Asbury church said in a statement. "For me it was reminiscent of cross burnings. Seeing this act on video made me both indignant and determined to fight the evil that has reared its ugly head."
"We will move forward, undaunted in our assurance that Black Lives Matter and we are obligated to continue to shout that truth without ceasing," she added.
Leaders of the Black Lives Matter organisation decried the attacks on the churches, partly faulting police for allowing white supremacists to "run rampant."
April Goggans, a lead organiser for Black Lives Matter's DC chapter, accused Bowser of "sitting silent and comfortable in your home as Trump send his goons in to brutalise your citizens." She said the mayor's statement was meaningless without action.
A spokesperson for DC police said that it was taking the offences seriously and actively investigating.
The incidents came following weekend rallies in support of Trump's baseless claims that he won a second term, which led to dozens of arrests, several stabbings and injuries to police officers.
Police in the District of Columbia said they arrested nearly 30 people for a variety of offenses, from assault to weapons possession and resisting arrests and rioting.
Four men were stabbed after a fight downtown, police said. At least one suspect, 29 year-old Phillip Johnson of Washington, was arrested on a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon.
Eight police officers were also injured during the demonstrations, officials said.
- AP
