Man arrested for alleged politically motivated vandalism of State House

A man accused of politically motivated vandalism and linked to a pro-Palestinian group has been arrested and charged in connection with last month's defacement of the front gate of the Massachusetts State House.

Jermaiah Yusuf Sawaqed, a 25-year-old from Everett, was taken into custody Thursday and arraigned Monday in Boston Municipal Court. His arrest follows a July 23 incident in which white paint was poured on the building's front gate and graffiti was sprayed on granite columns, with the word "divest" or "divert" appearing to be partially scrawled on a pillar.

Authorities allege Sawaqed fled into Boston Common after the vandalism, leaving behind "white paint footprints" and two suspicious devices that were later determined to be improvised explosive devices, according to a criminal complaint filed in court.

The homemade IEDs appeared to be made from toilet paper roll cores with attached fuses, and X-ray examinations found they "likely contained black powder," the complaint says. Possession and placement of these devices with intent to cause damage or alarm is a felony offense.

A reporter asked Gov. Maura Healey for a reaction to Sawaqed's arrest at an unrelated event on Tuesday afternoon.

"That kind of conduct is disgusting," Healey responded. "It's unacceptable. I'm glad that law enforcement was able to get him, and law enforcement will do the work in terms of the investigation and the prosecution. So, grateful to law enforcement for that. And there's absolutely no room, whether it's a public building or public grounds, anywhere in the commonwealth, for that kind of conduct."

A canine team on July 23 swept the Common and adjacent areas, and a State Police bomb squad and fire marshal swept the State House, and found no other threats.

State House Head of Security Shaun Deinstadt told investigators he was "contacted by several elected officials on the day of the incident and in the days that followed, expressing concerns about returning to work and their safety in and around the facility."

The complaint describes Sawaqed as a member of the Direct Action Movement for Palestinian Liberation (DAMPL), an anti-Zionist group that has claimed responsibility for other acts of vandalism in Massachusetts. Anti-Defamation New England previously said DAMPL claimed responsibility for the graffiti at the State House.

Federal officials began tracking Sawaqed in May after he appeared in a video urging followers to target government buildings and corporate logistics networks.

The complaint alleges Sawaqed has been a "central and active participant" in vandalism at the State House, the George Washington Monument in the Public Garden, and MIT's Stata Center. Investigators suspect Sawaqed's involvement due to social media posts made after the vandalism events, where DAMPL claimed responsibility. Investigators began conducting surveillance at his residence in Everett and tracking his family car after the George Washington Monument was vandalized in June.

Following the incident at the State House in July, an Instagram account associated with DAMPL took credit for the "paint mixed with feces and lit homemade flars [sic] on its gates." Police worked with Meta and T-Mobile to find the account associated with a mobile phone number belonging to Sawaqed.

When police searched a vehicle registered to his mother, investigators found white paint residue, a device similar to those recovered on the Common, DAMPL flyers, and two empty gasoline cans, the complaint said.

Prosecutors charged Sawaqed with vandalism and destruction of property, vandalizing a war or veterans memorial, and possession, transportation, or use of a hoax device or substance. His bail was set at $30,000, and he is scheduled to return to court next week, according to WCVB, which was at his Monday arraignment.

Sawaqed's mother told WCVB her son is innocent and being targeted because of his views on Gaza.