A South Carolina man was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Thursday after he damaged a police cruiser and attacked officers during unrest that followed the death of George Floyd.
Abraham Jenkins, 26, stood atop a Mount Pleasant Police Department vehicle, sprayed a fire extinguisher at law enforcement, and hurled a burning T-shirt through the window of a Charleston police cruiser after he pelted an officer with a water bottle on May 30, 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina announced. Jenkins previously pleaded guilty to all charges.
“The Charleston Police Department applauds the successful resolution of this criminal case and the support the [sic] displayed by the United States Attorney’s Office regarding this incident,” said Police Chief Luther Reynolds in a statement. “While the Charleston Police Department will always support our citizen’s right to peaceful protest, we will never condone violent or destructive acts that endanger our citizens or damage property.”
Jenkins, the second of six defendants to face sentencing over the riot, will be subject to 36 months of supervised release after his prison term expires.
“The United States Attorney’s Office will always protect the First Amendment rights of South Carolinians,” said acting U.S. Attorney Rhett DeHart. “However, when peaceful protests turn into violence and destruction, the violent agitators committing crimes will be brought to justice.”
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The city of Charleston instituted curfews on May 30, 2020, and deployed riot police after businesses were looted, property was vandalized, and violence gripped the streets. Officers were seen firing volleys of tear gas and other nonlethal munitions to quell the crowd.
In the aftermath of Floyd’s death, thousands rallied for law enforcement reform and the reduction of police funding. The damage incurred by the demonstrations was estimated to cost over $1 billion in insurance claims.
