They arrest a man in front of the Catholic Church in Washington, DC, allegedly with a Molotov cocktail

A man of New Jersey was arrested Sunday in front of the Cathedral of San Mateo Apostle in Washington, DC (United States), accused of illegal entrance, threats of kidnapping or injuries to a person and possession of a Molotov cocktail, according to the authorities.

The cathedral celebrated on Sunday, October 5, to invoke God’s blessings on those responsible for the administration of justice, as well as all public officials, ” The Church reported. The judges of the Supreme Court and legislators usually attend this annual mass.

The Mass is traditionally celebrated on Sunday before the first Monday of October, which marks the beginning of the annual session of the Supreme Court. Due to the planned assistance of high profile personalities, agents of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) monitored the area before the 9:00 am Mass (local time).

Shortly before 6:00 am, the agents observed an individual who set up a tent on the cathedral steps, the MPD said. The suspect accused of possessing a Molotov cocktail, a thrown incendiary, was identified as Louis Geri, 41, from Vineland, New Jersey, according to An MPD statement.

The agents said that Geri had been forbidden to enter the cathedral, although the department did not specify the reason. After refusing Geri to leave, he was arrested without incident.

The agents pointed out that they found bottles with liquid and possible fireworks into their store. Members of the Explosive Artifacts Elimination Team of the MPD and the Group of Fire Tasks Provoked responded to the situation to register and ensure belongings.

The scene was quickly secured, but due to the situation, none of the judges of the Supreme Court attended the Mass, according to the Catholic Standard.

Power to “bring hope”

In his homilyCardinal Robert Mcelroy addressed the “men and women of law” and said that they have the power to “bring hope” in the midst of political violence.

The arrest in front of the cathedral occurs after a series of recent acts of political violence and attacks in Minnesota and Michigan against places of worship.

“It is certainly true that political violence has been part of our history as a nation and that political dialogue has often been confrontational,” Mcelroy said in his homily. “But we live at a time when politics is tribal, not dialogue, and in which the partisan label has become an abbreviation for the worldview about the most volatile issues of our national life. The result is explosive, within politics, family life and friendships.”

“As law students, as leaders in law, either as judges or legislators or public defenders or as advisors, for that commitment they are privileged and forced to raise the level of our political and social discourse,” said Mcelroy. “No group in our society has a greater capacity to remodel our political discourse. No group has a deeper call to bring hope.”

The research on what happened in the Cathedral continues in coordination with the Joint Working Group against Terrorism, the Federal Research Office (FBI) and the Office of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, authorities said.

Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.