A man from Virginia, who spray-painted a federal monument in Washington, D.C., with a pro-Hamas slogan during a demonstration near Union Station, is set to spend some time in jail, as reported by federal authorities.
Zaid Mohammed Mahdawi, aged 26 from Richmond, was sentenced on Friday, April 4, to ten days in federal prison followed by six months of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to damaging government property, as stated 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 captured on camera spray-painting "HAMAS IS COMING" in red letters, accompanied by an upside-down triangular sign.
Authorities stated that Mahdawi had previously removed an American flag during the protest, which was subsequently taken by someone else. The demonstrators engaged in burning items, vandalizing government property, and obstructing law enforcement activities.
Mahdawi’s graffiti was spotted by US Park Police cameras and extensively circulated on social media. The incident was also documented in open-source 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, mandating that Mahdawi must fulfill 80 hours of community service and compensate $1,500 as restitution for the approximate $11,282.23 spent on cleanup efforts.
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