CLEVELAND — A massive fire at a historic church on Cleveland's East Side has put a spotlight on urban explorers and the fine line between documenting decay and breaking the law.
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The vacant Friendship Baptist Church, originally built as a synagogue and later a religious institution of Cleveland's Black community, was destroyed within hours after a fire started on Aug. 21.
"It's a structure that I like many people mourn losing," said Case Western Reserve University Professor and Cleveland historian John Grabowski.
Fire investigators ruled it arson, and authorities arrested a suspect days later.
"I'm just sad my mom and my dad were married in this church," said Juanita Rucker, who spoke days after the fire.
According to an arrest warrant, the case pointed to social media and urban exploring as key elements of the investigation.
"It's criminal, really, the moment you break through a window or open a door and go inside, and then anything else that goes on inside can be additional crimes," said Case Western Reserve University professor Mike Benza.
Benza said the legal path for urban explorers is to get permission from a property owner.
"Most of the people who are engaged in this would say we would never cause harm to the property. No, that's not a defense to the breaking and entering," Benza said.
Grabowski says buildings link many people to their past.
"I think it's the curiosity of what's inside," Grabowski said.
Ed McDonald considers himself an urban explorer, but says his approach is different. He uses his drone to document deteriorating buildings, mostly in Cleveland's Slavic Village, and sends complaints to the city.
"The fact that neighbors have to live next to this, the way the condition is, the way it's falling apart, and the property owner isn't being held accountable for it — I mean, it's just crazy," McDonald said.
McDonald says urban explorers have a strict code: you see what you see, and you leave the property as is.
"You're not going into a building to destroy it, you're not going into a building for mementos, you're not going into a building to alter anything," McDonald said.
But social media has fueled the fascination, giving explorers an audience and police potential evidence.
In July, Cleveland police arrested three self-described urban explorers accused of breaking into two former Cleveland Metropolitan School District schools. Police said cameras connected their car to those buildings and a third school.
Benza said social media posts can quickly become evidence.
"Once law enforcement sees it, that may then trigger a criminal investigation," Benza said.
McDonald said he documented Friendship Baptist Church, even asked for it to be boarded up, and intentionally kept its address off social media.
"The idea was to try to protect it," McDonald said.
Professional photographer Johnny Joo captured the church's unique character years before the fire, which he says is important.
"Eventually we won't have the place, but we'll have the photos to tell the story of that place," Joo said.
Grabowski said photography and documentation can serve a historical purpose, depending on how it is handled.
"I think it can preserve history; it depends on how it is organized and how it is supervised," Grabowski said.
McDonald said he has never been charged with a crime in his 10 years of exploring and believes what he does is a public service.
"Because if these property owners actually cared about their property, I wouldn't have to do what I do," McDonald said.
