by Christopher Hodapp
Late last week (Friday night into early Saturday morning), surveillance video captured a young man climbing onto a low roof ledge to reach and badly damage two exterior signs at the Masonic center. The footage, shared by WSVN-TV7, shows the suspect pulling himself up to get at the sign and twist one expensive sign off the wall. Damage has been estimated at around $3,000.
Thankfully, Miami Springs police acted quickly: 20-year-old Brian Guanche was charged with one count of burglary of an unoccupied dwelling and one count of criminal mischief. He's since bonded out, but the incident is under investigation.This wasn't some random act of mischief—it's part of a troubling pattern. Over the last few years, there has been a noticeable uptick in violent attacks, arsons, and vandalism against Masonic buildings around the world, with more than a few tied directly to antisemitic motives. We've seen lodges targeted in places like Florida, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New York, Connecticut, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and even Vancouver (where one arsonist hit three buildings in a single morning, causing millions in damage). Overseas, halls in Ireland and Greece have faced similar assaults, and doubtless there have been many more that simply have not hit the news services. Some perpetrators have acted out of bizarre delusions—like believing Masons placed curses on them or controlled minds—while others have been fueled by outright hatered.
That hate often bleeds over from the dramatic and alarming rise in anti-Semitism across the United States (and beyond) in recent months, especially since the outbreak of the war involving Iran. Unfortunately, Freemasonry is getting swept up in the crossfire. Our symbolism—drawing from ancient Jerusalem, King Solomon's Temple, and Old Testament imagery—has been twisted into anti-Jewish conspiracy theories since the 19th century. It doesn't help when historical figures like Pope Leo XIII, influenced by the admitted hoaxes of anti-Catholic prankster Léo Taxil in the 1880s-90s, lumped Masons in with phrases like "Synagogue of Satan" (originally from the New Testament letters, referring to persecutors of early Christians who falsely claimed Jewish identity). Leo clearly bought into the nonsense that a bunch of middle-aged Protestant gentlemen cosplaying as Old Testament figures in ritual were somehow undermining the Church. That old canard still echoes today.
And right now, it's getting amplified by noisy voices with big platforms. Candace Owens, who has somehow amassed nearly three million YouTube subscribers by peddling increasingly outrageous claims, has ramped up her attacks on Freemasonry. Owens (a recent convert to Catholicism) is a certifiable attention-seeker at this point, jumping on every fringe theory that drives clicks and eyeballs—whether it's moon landings, celebrity deaths tied to "sacrifices," or wild Masonic plots.
Similarly, Shawn Ryan has leaned into kookball anti-Masonic conspiracy content on his show, hosting guests who push debunked nonsense about "Masonic Bibles" and secret influences. Countless lesser imitators follow suit online.
I don't care where you fall on the political spectrum—left, right, or somewhere in the never-never land in between. Spreading this stuff is dangerous. My wife and I wrote a book on conspiracy theories years ago, and Owens is a textbook example of madness given a megaphone and free rein on the internet. There's no filter of responsibility anymore: anybody can launch a podcast, build a persona, and attract an audience of the credulous or the angry by using sensationalistic 'made you look' tactics. There are no qualifications required. People who swallow her brand of "research" don't just nod along—they act. We've already seen real-world consequences, including threats, violence, attacks on our buildings, and worse.
Texas Freemason Robert Wise was murdered outside of his lodge in 2023 precisely because of this delusional thinking. His killer told police that he shot Wise because Masons were "devil worshiping Illuminatists."
With geopolitical tensions boiling over and antisemitism surging, we have to be vigilant. Masonic temples aren't fortresses, but Brothers and lodge officers need to take practical steps: review security cameras, lighting, and alarms; coordinate with local law enforcement; avoid leaving valuables or regalia visible; and report suspicious activity immediately. Most of these incidents happen at night when buildings are empty, so proactive measures can make a real difference.
Freemasonry has endured worse for centuries, and we'll keep doing what we do—meeting in peace, practicing brotherly love and relief, and building better men. But ignoring the threats won't make them disappear. Stay aware, stay safe, and let's look out for one another.
If you're a Mason reading this, talk to your lodge about security. If you're not, but you value fair-minded institutions that promote charity and moral improvement, know that the same bigots targeting synagogues and Jewish communities are increasingly turning their gaze toward Masonic halls too.
