Federal authorities have charged Michael Snow Jr., 24, from Durham, North Carolina, with the destruction of federal property. The charge follows an incident in which he allegedly set fire to an American flag at Columbus Circle in Washington during protests in July. The demonstrations aimed to oppose Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress.
According to authorities, a video allegedly shows Snow seeking assistance to ignite the flag, saying "I need a better lighter!" before being handed a bottle of lighter fluid. US Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves emphasized, "Stealing a federal flag and burning it is not speech, it's destruction of federal property." No legal representation for Snow is currently listed, and attempts to reach him for comment have been unsuccessful.
Thousands gathered outside Union Station during Netanyahu's visit, expressing disapproval of his address where he vowed "total victory" over Hamas. The demonstrations resulted in graffiti on a Christopher Columbus monument and Palestinian flags replacing American ones. While a permit for the protest was initially granted, the US Park Police revoked it upon unsuccessful attempts to communicate with organizers. The National Park Service reported damages exceeding $11,000 due to the disturbances. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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