Virginia Protester Who Painted ‘Hamas IS Comin’ On Union Station Statue Sentenced In DC
A Virginia man who defaced a federal monument in Washington, DC, with a pro-Hamas message during a protest outside Union Station is heading to prison for a short stay, according to federal officials.
Zaid Mohammed Mahdawi, 26, of Richmond, was sentenced on Friday, April 4, to 10 days in federal prison and six months of supervised release after pleading guilty to destruction of government property, the US Attorney’s Office for DC announced.
The incident happened on July 24, 2024, during a protest rally at Columbus Circle.
Around 3:30 p.m., Mahdawi climbed onto the Columbus statue and …
Layoffs Hit Pandemic-Era Heights As Musk Slashes Federal Jobs, Trump's Widespread Tariffs Begin
The US saw one of its largest waves of layoffs in decades, fueled by billionaire Elon Musk's efforts to purge the federal government, as markets fear the financial impacts of President Donald Trump's sweeping new tariffs.
US employers announced 275,240 job cuts in March, outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas said on Thursday, Apr. 3. That's the third-highest monthly amount since Challenger began tracking layoffs in 1989, only surpassed by the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in April and May of 2020.
So far in 2025, employers have announced 497,052 job cuts — the highe…
Meriden Man Vandalized Columbus Statue, Stole POW Flag, Cut Down American Flags: Police
A Connecticut man has been arrested and charged with vandalizing a Christopher Columbus monument in Meriden last month, authorities said.
Marco Mejil Jr., 30, of Meriden, turned himself in to police on Tuesday, March 18, after a warrant was issued for his arrest, authorities said.
The investigation began after officers responded to reports of vandalism near East Main Street and Broad Street on Feb. 25, where a statue of Christopher Columbus had been covered in graffiti. Officers also found a flagpole snapped in half, ropes cut, a POW flag stolen, and multiple American flags missing, Meriden…
Reddit-Fueled Curiosity Lands Duo In Hot Water After Trespass at Former Vonage HQ: Cops
A late-night adventure turned into a brush with the law for two young explorers caught trespassing at the former Vonage headquarters in Holmdel, apparently all because of a Reddit post.
Alexis L. Prager, 22, of Holmdel, and Aaron M. Olmeda, 21, of Point Pleasant, were charged with defiant trespass after police found them on the abandoned property at 23 Main St. around 2:19 a.m. on Dec. 4, 2024, according to Holmdel Township police paperwork.
The duo's misadventure, which was first reported by Transparency Bodycam, unraveled when Patrolman Robert Lambe spotted Olmeda’s empty 2008 Honda Accor…
