GREENVILLE, Miss. — The FBI has opened a civil rights investigation into the arson and vandalism of an African-American church in Mississippi, where someone spray-painted ‘‘Vote Trump’’ in what the mayor called a ‘‘heinous, hateful, cowardly act.’’

The pulpit and pews were burned, and soot stained the brick around some windows. Greenville Fire Chief Ruben Brown Sr. said the fire was set at the Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church.

‘‘We consider it a hate crime,’’ Mayor Errick Simmons said, “because of the political message which we believe was intended to interfere with worship and intimidate voters.’’

About 78 percent of Greenville’s 32,100 residents are African-American.

An FBI spokesman said it was too early to determine whether the fire should be investigated as a possible hate crime.

Governor Phil Bryant, a Republican who has been campaigning for Donald Trump, said ‘‘we expect a suspect will be identified and brought to justice.’’

‘‘First, anyone who burns a place of worship will answer to almighty God for this crime against people of faith. But they should also answer to man’s law,’’ Bryant said.

Democratic US Representative Bennie Thompson, whose district includes Greenville, said the fire and graffiti ‘‘harks back to a much darker day in Mississippi.’’

‘‘The political message of the vandalism is obviously an attempt to sway public opinion regarding the upcoming election,’’ he wrote.

Associated Press