A man from Virginia, who spray-painted a federal monument in Washington, D.C., with a pro-Hamas slogan during an event near Union Station, will be going to jail for a brief period, as reported by federal authorities.
Zaid Mohammed Mahdawi, aged 26 from Richmond, received his sentence on Friday, April 4, which includes ten days in federal prison followed by six months under supervised release. This sentencing came as he admitted guilt to charges involving the destruction of government property, according to an announcement made by the US Attorney’s Office for Washington D.C.
The event took place on July 24, 2024, at Columbus Circle during a protest rally.
At around 3:30 p.m., Mahdawi ascended the Columbus statue and was recorded on video painting "HAMAS IS COMING" in red letters, accompanied by an upside-down triangular sign.
Authorities stated that Mahdawi had removed an American flag during the protest at an earlier time, which was subsequently taken by someone else. The demonstrators engaged in burning items, caused damage to federal property, and obstructed law enforcement officers from making arrests.
Mahdawi’s graffiti was caught on camera by the US Park Police and circulated extensively on social media. The incident was also recorded in publicly available videos and photographs that were subsequently uploaded to different online platforms.
"The flags removed from the flagpoles and the statues and structures in Columbus Circle are all owned by the federal government," the prosecutors stated.
Judge James E. Boasberg issued the ruling, requiring Mahdawi to perform 80 hours of community service and pay $1,500 as reimbursement for the approximately $11,282.23 in cleanup expenses.
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