Michael Snow Jr., a 25-year-old resident of Durham, North Carolina, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to four months of probation and 40 hours of community service for damaging federal property. He was also ordered to pay $525 in restitution. The incident occurred on July 24, 2024, when Snow set an American flag on fire during a protest at Union Station in Washington, D.C.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Acting Special Agent in Charge Courtland Rae of the FBI Washington Field Office Counterterrorism Division, and Chief Jessica M. E. Taylor of the U.S. Park Police.
Snow had pleaded guilty on February 11 to the charge of destruction of government property valued at less than $1,000.
Court documents reveal that the protest took place in Columbus Circle near Union Station after an organization received a permit to demonstrate there. Between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., demonstrators pulled down flags from flagpoles, burned them along with other objects, sprayed graffiti on statues and structures, and obstructed law enforcement efforts to arrest vandals.
The National Park Service estimated that cleaning up and repairing the site would cost $11,282.23.
Surveillance footage showed two individuals lowering an American flag from a flagpole in Columbus Circle before it fell to the ground still attached to its halyard. Snow then grabbed the flag and attempted unsuccessfully to ignite it with a lighter while surrounded by chanting protesters.
Eventually, someone handed him charcoal lighter fluid which he used to douse the flag before setting it ablaze with help from another unidentified individual.
The following day, images of the incident were posted on social media platform X leading authorities to identify Snow through his driver's license photograph.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office and USPP’s Intelligence and Counterterrorism Unit with assistance from FBI Charlotte Field Office's Raleigh Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Martin and Brendan Horan are prosecuting the case.