An LGBT rights activist burned down his own house because he was annoyed there was no prejudice for him to campaign against, police say.

Nikki Joly, 54, is accused of faking the August 2017 fire – which killed his two dogs and three cats – because he’d been left bored after the passage of a nondiscrimination law in Jackson, Michigan, where he lives.

Afterwards, two church officials who worked alongside Joly told police he’d been disappointed the Jackson Pride Parade, held five days before the fire, hadn’t received more attention or protests.

Nikki Joly is accused of burning down his own home – killing his two dogs and three cats – because he was annoyed at the lack of anti-LGBT prejudice for him to campaign against (Picture: WILX)

According to cop Aaron Grove, who interviewed those workers – Barbara Shelton and Bobby James – they described Joly as ‘very deceptive’ and as having ‘layers of manipulation.’

Joly, a transgender man, had married girlfriend Chris Moore shortly before the fire, which prompted a $58,000 fundraising effort for the couple.

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He took to Facebook two days after telling supporters: ‘Yes, be angry, be very angry.

‘Use that anger to force good! Use that anger to make change.’

But police were already turning their attentions to Joly after discovering he had bought $10 of gas at a local Marathon store on the morning of the fire.

The aftermath of the fire at Joly’s home. Police found traces of gasoline on his clothes (Picture: WILX)

Joly, whose local paper awarded him ‘Citizen of the Year’ 2017 for his work on advancing LGBT rights, said he had done so to cut the grass.

But his version of how he had spent the day meant there was only a five minute window for any arsonist to break into his home, douse it with fuel and set it ablaze.

Traces of gasoline were also found on the equality campaigner’s clothes, The Detroit News reported.

Joly is said to have refused to confirm or deny setting the blaze at the rented home during a subsequent police interview.

The arson suspect, who made his first appearance in court earlier this month, has since denied setting the fire deliberately.

His attorney Daniel Barnett said Joly was happy with the level of attention he had received.

Barnett added: ‘It doesn’t make sense.

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‘He was citizen of the year. There was plenty of media coverage already before the fire.’

The attorney also drew attention to Joly’s campaigning, and highlighted how much he had done for the cause of LGBT rights in Jackson.