A man from Virginia, who spray-painted a federal monument in Washington, D.C., with a pro-Hamas slogan during an 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 along with six months of supervised release following his admission of guilt regarding the destruction of government property, as reported by the US Attorney’s Office for DC.
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 spray-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 earlier, which was subsequently taken by someone else. The demonstrators engaged in burning items, vandalizing government property, and obstructing law enforcement efforts to make arrests.
Mahdawi’s graffiti was spotted by US Park Police cameras and extensively circulated on social media. The incident was also documented in openly 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, instructing Mahdawi to fulfill 80 hours of community service and to pay $1,500 as reimbursement for the approximately $11,282.23 in cleanup expenses.
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