Durham man sentenced for destroying American flag during protest in front of Union Station

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WTVD) -- A 25-year-old Durham man was sentenced on Friday for destroying U.S. government property during a protest at Union Station in July 2024.

The U.S. Department of Justice said Michael Snow Jr. was sentenced to four months of probation, 40 hours of community service, and ordered to pay $525 in restitution for destruction of federal property after destroying an American flag by setting it on fire in front of Union Station in the District of Columbia, as crowds surrounded him chanting, "Burn that sh--."

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 Avenue and E St. NE, directly in front of Union Station. Demonstrators who gathered in Columbus Circle pulled flags down from flagpoles and burned them along with other objects. Protesters also sprayed graffiti on multiple statues and structures, and interfered with law enforcement attempting to place individuals under arrest, documents said.

The DOJ said open-source and surveillance video captured images of two people lowering an American flag on the eastern flagpole in Columbus Circle. The flag then fell to the ground still attached to its halyard. A man later identified as Snow then grabbed the flag and carried it into the crowd of protesters.

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Snow then threw the flag onto the ground and attempted to set the flag on fire with a lighter. After the failed attempt, Snow yelled to the crowd, "I need a better lighter!" and the crowd began to chant, "Burn that sh--!"

Someone gave Snow a bottle of charcoal lighter fluid, which he used to douse the flag, and then, along with an unidentified person from the crowd, used a lighter to burn the flag.

On July 25, 2024, a user on social media posted pictures of the incident, which helped authorities find a driver's license photograph of Snow.

The DOJ said Snow pleaded guilty in February to destruction of government property (less than $1,000). The National Park Service estimated the total cost of cleanup and repair to statues, flags, and structures in Columbus Circle was $11,282.23.