NEWS BRIEF: Protester pleads guilty to assault on a federal officer and destruction of government property

A man has pleaded guilty to assault on a federal officer and destruction of government property stemming from his use of a homemade bomb during a protest two years ago in Atlanta, the Department of Justice announced Oct. 27. Richard Tyler Hunsinger, 29, of Fairfax, Virginia, was an organizer of a “Rally Against Fascism” protest that occurred at the Department of Homeland Security on July 25, 2020.

The DOJ says Hunsinger smashed at least four windows of the front entry of the structure and then lit and threw a Molotov cocktail into the building through a smashed glass door. Other individuals used rocks, cinder blocks, modified fireworks, plus additional materials, to cause extensive damage — totaling more than $46,000 — to the building. “Anyone who assaults a law enforcement officer or destroys government property is dangerous and an extreme threat to public safety,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will not tolerate protesters who turn violent and destructive and will aggressively pursue individuals that undermine the rule of law. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured during Hunsinger’s act of terror.” Details: justice.gov