An unstable individual from upstate New York was apprehended in New York City on Saturday afternoon after allegedly asserting he possessed firebombs intended for a “No Kings” demonstration aimed at federal agents – an incident that follows several anti-Trump protests across the country turning rowdy.
Fifty-four-year-old David Cox faced terrorism-related charges after boasting to an unsuspecting patron at a Kwik Fill gas station in Owego, roughly 198 miles away from the city, on Friday night. He claimed he had weapons in his car and intended to confront “ICE agents” during a rally in Manhattan, according to police and sources.
The concerned bystander promptly alerted the police after Cox departed from the station.
The NYPD swiftly located Cox after identifying his vehicle through a license plate reader, apprehending him at approximately 2:25 p.m. on Saturday while around 100,000 people protested in Midtown.
Authorities reported that no firebombs or any weapons were located in his car.
Cox was charged with making a terroristic threat, falsely reporting terrorism, and issuing a threat of mass harm, according to police.
Tens of thousands of people rallied in Manhattan and other cities nationwide, expressing their discontent against President Trump and his policies while wielding provocative signs and shouting slogans.
The demonstrators, who demanded the president’s resignation, drew parallels between ICE agents and the KKK in their chants.
While no arrests were reported in Manhattan, other protests nationwide turned disorderly late Saturday, leading federal agents to deploy tear gas against a tumultuous crowd in Portland, as reported by Fox News.
According to the Portland Police Bureau, three individuals were detained following an alleged assault during a rally downtown, amidst ongoing tensions at a local immigration detention center that had sparked unrest since June.
In Illinois, four demonstrators were arrested near an ICE facility in Broadview—approximately 10 miles from Chicago—where shocking footage captured clashes between helmeted protesters in gas masks and police after sundown, reported FOX 32 Chicago.
In Los Angeles, law enforcement confronted demonstrators flooding the streets, leading to one injury amid the unrest, as captured in various images.
