<p>A Near West Side man is facing hate crime and arson charges after <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2026/06/10/officials-faith-leaders-outraged-by-burning-cross-in-grant-park-reward-offered" target="_blank" ><u>burning a cross in Grant Park</u></a> last week, according to Chicago police.</p><p>Merlin Lu, 21, faces two counts of felony hate crime, as well as felony charges for arson and damage to property, police said. That’s in addition to misdemeanor charges for reckless conduct, criminal damage to property and cross burning to intimidate.</p><p>The police announced they <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2026/06/16/person-of-interest-in-custody-for-grant-park-cross-burning" target="_blank" ><u>had a person of interest in custody</u></a> after NBC5 Chicago aired an interview with Lu, who admitted that he set up and burned the cross. In the interview, he also said he was a senior at the University of Illinois Chicago and from Naperville.