A 52-year-old Pennsylvania man who was arrested in connection with allegedly placing a backpack full of Molotov cocktails at a bustling plaza in Pittsburgh amid George Floyd protests is now facing federal charges.

Matthew Michanowicz has been charged with illegal possession of an unregistered destructive device after “planting a backpack with homemade explosives in a downtown open space,” U.S. Attorney’s Office Western District of Pennsylvania said in a statement Saturday (June 6).

"Once again, we see that certain participants in the protests in Pittsburgh were only present to serve as agitators and to incite violence. Let’s call them what they are: criminals. They have no intention of peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights; they seek only to incite and destroy,” U.S. Attorney Scott Brady said. “He wasn’t there to protest; he was there to engage in violent attacks,” he said, referencing Michanowicz.

The incident happened on June 1 when officers with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police responded to the Two PNC Plaza facing Wood Street in downtown Pittsburgh where they found the suspicious "Military, green backpack" stacked beside a bicycle rack under some trees on the property. PBP Bomb Squad was called to the scene after officers discovered three devices and a foul odor coming from inside the bag. The Bomb Squad found three suspected "homemade Molotov cocktails," according to the statement.

Michanowicz was caught on a security camera placing the bag under the trees. During interrogation, he told officers that he had ridden his bike to the area to discover the aftermath of the ongoing protests. According to the statement, Michanowicz admitted that he was the person seen on the surveillance footage but declined to have possessed incendiary devices of any sort. Authorities ran a search at his residence on June 4 and found 10 more camouflage backpacks in Michanowicz’s garage, including a bundle of fuse identical to those of the previously seized destructive devices.

He will likely face up to 10 years in prison, accompanied by a maximum fine of $250,000 if convicted. It was not immediately clear if Michanowicz had obtained an attorney.

Oftentimes, some protesters joining the widespread demonstrations to voice anger against the systematic racism and loss of black lives in police custody grow violent. In a similar incident, on May 30, Brooklyn cops pulled over and arrested a protester-duo Urooj Rahman and Colinford Mattis for allegedly tossing a Molotov cocktail at an empty NYPD patrol car amid the first installment of demonstrations in the city. They were federally charged with 20 years in prison and were released on $250,000 bail Monday (June 1).

Protesters drive by in a car during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Protesters drive by in a car during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota AFP / Kerem Yucel
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