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Firefighters were called to St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Reston early Sunday morning for a report of burning mulch outside of the 1190 Lawyers Road building, Fairfax County police said. Investigators believe they used an accelerant to start the fire.
Someone had also spray-painted a message on the entrance of the church and several places at the back of the building about the Supreme Court's decision. Police did not say what they wrote. Investigators are going through St. John Neumann's security footage to identify who did this, Fairfax County police said.
Protests have happened across the country after the Supreme Court overturned 50 years of federal protections for abortion on Friday.
The Catholic Church is an outspoken pro-life advocate. The Diocese of Arlington warned area churches about the risk of vandalism following a leak of the court's decision earlier this year, said Billy Atwell, spokesperson for the diocese, told WTOP. He added that the church remains "alert and particularly vigilant."
Fairfax County police said it would up its patrols around places of worship and work with faith leaders as pro-choice protests have erupted across the country.
Jeff McKay, chairman of the county board of supervisors, said protests must remain civil.
"Let me be unequivocal: there is no room — none — for violence, vandalism, or destruction of property here in Fairfax County," he wrote.
Virginia will likely become one of the nearly two dozen states that will limit when a woman can end her pregnancy. Gov. Glenn Youngkin said he asked state legislators to pass a ban on abortions 15 weeks after conception. He asked for an exception in cases of incest, rape, or if the mother's life is at risk.
He wants state lawmakers to pass it when they return to Richmond in January.
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