Rioter Federally Charged with Damaging U.S. Government Property at Union Station

            WASHINGTON – Michael Snow Jr., 24, of Durham, North Carolina, was arrested this morning in connection with a federal criminal complaint charging him with destruction of federal property. The complaint alleges that, on July 24, 2024, Snow destroyed an American flag by setting it on fire as a crowd surrounded him chanting “Burn that sh--.”. Moments before, two other individuals took down the flag, which was flying on one of the flagpoles at Columbus Circle in front of Union Station in Washington, D.C.

            The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani of the FBI Washington Field Office Counterterrorism Division, and Chief Jessica M. E. Taylor of the U.S. Park Police (USPP).

Snow will make his initial appearance this afternoon in U.S. District Court in the Middle  District of North Carolina. He is charged federally with willfully injuring or depredating any property of the United States.

            “Stealing a federal flag and burning it is not speech, it’s destruction of federal property,” said US Attorney Graves. “Hundreds of thousands of people engage in lawful First Amendment protest activity every year in the District of Columbia without incident.  The relatively few who chose to cross the line from protest to violence and destruction will be held accountable for the crimes they commit.”

            “The FBI does not conduct investigations based solely on First Amendment activities,” said SAC Virmani, “but the FBI will not tolerate those who commit destruction of federal property in the guise of First Amendment activity. That includes taking and burning a federal flag from a federal flagpole as Snow allegedly did.”

            According to court documents, on July 24, 2024, an organization was granted a permit to demonstrate in the area of Columbus Circle, located at Massachusetts Ave. NE, and E St. NE, directly in front of Union Station. From about 3 p.m. until 5 p.m., demonstrators gathered in Columbus Circle pulled down flags affixed to the flagpoles; burned flags and objects; sprayed graffiti on multiple statutes and structures; and interfered with law enforcement’s ability to place individuals under arrest.

            The flags pulled down from the flag poles, and the statutes and structures in Columbus Circle, are all property of the federal government. The National Park Service estimated the total cost to clean up and repair the site at $11,282.23.