Protestor Federally Charged with Assault on Officers During the July 24 Demonstration in Washington D.C.

Press Release

WASHINGTON - Zachary Kam, 24, of Chicago, IL, was arrested this morning in connection with a federal criminal complaint charging him with assault on two law enforcement officers during a demonstration at Columbus Circle in front of Union Station in Washington, D.C., on July 24, 2024.

The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani of the FBI Washington Field Office Counterterrorism Division, and Chief Jessica M. E. Taylor of the National Park Service's United States Park Police (USPP).

Kam will make his initial appearance this afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. He is charged with two counts of assaulting, resisting, opposing, intimidating, interfering, or impeding certain officers or employees.

"Assaulting a federal officer during the course of a protest is not constitutionally protected speech, it is a federal crime," said U.S. Attorney Graves. "Tens of thousands of people peacefully protest in our Capital every year. It is a federal crime to punch, push, grab, or shove a federal officer. The relatively few who engage in such conduct during a protest should expect to be federally charged."

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 Ave. NE, and E St. NE, directly in front of Union Station. From about 3 p.m. until 5 p.m., demonstrators who had gathered in Columbus Circle pulled down flags affixed to the flagpoles; burned flags and objects; sprayed graffiti on multiple statutes and structures; and interfered with law enforcement's ability to place individuals under arrest.

On July 24, 2024, at approximately 3 p.m., USPP officers were attempting to arrest an individual for pulling down a flag from a flagpole in Columbus Circle. The individual fled and USPP officers caught up with him in the crowd.

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As USPP officers were effecting that arrest, Kam approached USPP Officer L.I. from behind, grabbed the top of the officer's vest, pulled the officer to the ground, and dragged the officer several feet. The assault was captured in multiple videos and photos, later shared on Twitter and other platforms, as well as USPP body-worn camera. Kam then dashed into the crowd, but other police were unable to catch him.

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Less than a minute later, Kam returned, grabbed another officer by his vest and pulled that officer to the ground. The second assault was also captured on multiple open-source videos that were later posted to various internet platforms. After the second assault, the attacker again disappeared into the crowd.

At the time of the assaults, Kam was wearing a red and blue hat, gray t-shirt, a tan camouflage vest, blue jeans, and black shoes. USPP Officers who were stationed in an observation post near Columbus Circle broadcasted Kam's description over police radio. At 7:13 p.m., USPP Officers near John Marshall Park, which is located on the 400 Block of C Street Northwest, spotted an individual that matched the individual's description, who was later identified as Zachary Kam.

After being stopped by USPP, Kam was placed under arrest and charged in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia with assaulting a police officer.

This case is being investigated by the USPP's Intelligence and Counterterrorism Unit and the FBI Washington Field Office, with assistance from the FBI Chicago Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Martin.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Updated October 10, 2024