WASHINGTON – Federal authorities have charged a person with burning an American flag within the nation’s capital throughout protests towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress in July.
Michael Snow Jr., 24, of Durham, North Carolina, is charged with destruction of federal property over the burning of the flag that was pulled down at Columbus Circle — in entrance of Union Station — by demonstrators calling for an end to the war in Gaza.
Authorities say video reveals Snow shouting a “I would like a greater lighter!” after initially failing to ignite the flag. Somebody then handed him a bottle of lighter fluid, which he used to douse the flag earlier than he and one other particular person set it on hearth, authorities say.
“Stealing a federal flag and burning it isn’t speech, it’s destruction of federal property,” mentioned Matthew Graves, U.S. lawyer for the District of Columbia.
There was no lawyer listed within the court docket docket for Snow, and a message in search of remark was left at a quantity listed for him in public data.
1000’s of protesters converged on Washington in July to sentence Netanyahu throughout his handle to Congress, during which the prime minister pledged in a scathing speech to realize “complete victory” towards Hamas.
Outdoors Union Station, protesters spray painted graffiti on a monument to Christopher Columbus and hoisted Palestinian flags instead of the American flags that have been eliminated.
A bunch of protesters had a allow to display in entrance of Union Station, however the U.S. Park Police mentioned it revoked the allow after it couldn’t attain protest organizers that afternoon.
The Nationwide Park Service estimated that it value greater than $11,000 to wash up and repair harm on the website.
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