It's very likely they didn't have direct or public connections to hate groups. It's very likely this was a troubled young man who was attracted to images of power.
Very typically these days we see white supremacists, hate groups, trying to use the words of King and other civil rights leaders to try to advance their agendas.
I don't think there's anything thus far to suggest a hate crime.
Hate speech is in the ear of the beholder.
I don't see any evidence that these fires are hate crimes. Anti-Christian crimes are exceedingly rare in the South. It's more likely to be teenagers or a mentally ill person.
I don't see any evidence that these fires are hate crimes.