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Pro-Palestinian activist arrested in State House vandalism
Authorities say Jermaiah Sawaqed's actions “have been deliberate, calculated, and in furtherance of an ideology that advocates disruption through violence and criminal activity.”
An Everett man is facing charges after he allegedly defaced the Massachusetts State House steps with paint last month, one of several recent acts of vandalism purportedly linked to a radical pro-Palestinian group.
Jermaiah Yusuf Sawaqed, 25, has pleaded not guilty to charges of vandalizing property, vandalizing a war or veterans memorial, and possessing a hoax device. He made an appearance Monday in Boston Municipal Court and was ordered held on $30,000 bail.
Authorities allege Sawaqed has ties to a group known as the Direct Action Movement for Palestinian Liberation (DAMPL), described in court documents as “an extreme anti-Zionist organization that publicly advocates for criminal ‘direct action’ against entities it associates with Israel, capitalism, and imperialism.” The group launched in the spring and includes a network of anti-Israel activists who operate in the U.S. and abroad, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
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Per Sawaqed’s criminal complaint, DAMPL has taken credit for several acts of vandalism in Massachusetts, including at the State House, the George Washington statue in the Public Garden, and the Stata Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Authorities further allege Sawaqed “has been identified as a central and active participant in a series of organized, politically motivated acts of vandalism targeting prominent public institutions.”
In the State House incident, state Department of Conservation and Recreation rangers reportedly saw a man approach the main entrance, splatter white paint on the front steps, and flee into Boston Common early on July 23. The suspect also sprayed black paint on two surrounding pillars, according to the complaint.
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Investigators followed footprints marked in white paint into the Common and found two suspicious objects believed to be homemade improvised explosion devices, the complaint states. The FBI’s Evidence Collection Team took custody of the devices and other evidence from the State House and Common.
According to the complaint, investigators used social media and phone records to link Sawaqed to an Instagram account that claimed responsibility for the State House vandalism through a post that read, “This morning, the Direct Action Movement for Palestinian Liberation targeted the Massachusetts State House with paint mixed with feces and lit homemade flars [sic] on its gates…”
The suspect in the State House incident was also caught on surveillance footage using a Subaru Crosstrek owned by Sawaqed’s mother, the complaint alleges. According to authorities, a search of the vehicle last week turned up traces of white paint and a device resembling those discovered on the Common July 23. Investigators also reportedly found several DAMPL fliers.
“Sawaqed’s actions have been deliberate, calculated, and in furtherance of an ideology that advocates disruption through violence and criminal activity,” authorities alleged in the complaint. “He has shown a clear disregard for public safety and government property and has demonstrated the capability and willingness to escalate these acts through his association with DAMPL.”
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Sawaqed is due back in court Aug. 18. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
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