21-year-old Jakhi McCray is currently dealing with federal arson allegations related to the incineration of police automobiles in a car park the previous month. It is alleged that Jakhi McCray surreptitiously entered a private parking area situated in Brooklyn, where he set alight 10 police vehicles. The young activist, notable for his pro-Palestinian stance and frequent conflicts with law enforcement during rallies, was apprehended and indicted on arson charges after federal officials disclosed his illicit entry into the aforementioned parking area and subsequent torching of these vehicles.
Jakhi McCray, still in his early twenties, was captured on a Monday morning, after which he was presented to Vera M. Scanlon, a Magistrate Judge working in the Federal District Court located in Brooklyn. He formally declared his innocence and was permitted to post bail, the amount for which was determined to be $300,000. After being awarded bail, he was transported to Manhattan Criminal Court by the police officials, where his arraignment related to state allegations tied to a recent protest he participated in was scheduled.
The specifics of this particular arrest remained ambiguous to the lawyers representing Mr. McCray as of Monday afternoon. In describing the situation, his legal counsel remarked sarcastically, ‘It appears that the police are quite perturbed with him for damaging their patrol cars.’ Jakhi McCray, beyond being an ardent critic of the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, received strong support from his mother and a crowd of over two dozen advocates present in the courtroom.
A majority of these supporters adorned themselves with kaffiyehs, a well-recognized emblem of Palestinian opposition. In addition to those present in the courtroom, a greater number congregated in a supplementary room. Mr. McCray composed and circulated a two-page statement ahead of his court appearance, where he voiced his denunciation of ‘the severity of state-sanctioned oppression’ and the ‘unlawful seizing of immigrants.’
He further asserted that law enforcement and media companies propagated falsehoods about his actions and behavior. Moreover, he referenced other individuals who had faced arrests owing to their involvement in pro-Palestinian protests. Joseph Nocella Jr., acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, addressed the incident in a subsequent press statement: ‘Extinguishing police cars with fire does not qualify as a form of protest, rather it is classified under federal law as a crime.’
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