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The chaos of Portland's May Day protests has resulted in federal charges for a 22-year-old man.
A federal grand jury indicted Damion Feller on July 7 on two counts of malicious damage to property by fire for throwing lit flares into the downtown Target store and a police car during the May 1 protests.
The Associated Press first reported the charges July 10.
The indictments show federal prosecutors are taking an interest in the May 1 protests, where a swift crackdown by Portland police led to anarchists rioting and setting bonfires in the streets—much to the delight of national TV news.
Feller was also arrested and charged with arson, criminal mischief, riot and reckless burning in Multnomah County Circuit Court in May.
In a probable-cause affidavit, prosecutors said Feller confessed to police that he threw the flares. Why? "Mob mentality," he allegedly said, and "because I am a fucking idiot."
The affidavit also says that Feller was arrested and confessed just two days after protesters, many in the masked regalia of "black bloc" anarchists, smashed the City Target windows and threw lit flares in the lobby.
Related: ACLU and others say Portland police tactics precipiated May Day rioting.
"After agreeing to speak with the detectives," the affidavit says, "the defendant was shown a photograph of the person who threw the burning flares described above on May 1, 2017. The defendant responded by saying, 'I saw that online and I knew I was fucked.'"
Feller's attorney has not yet returned WW's calls seeking comment.