Local law enforcement arrested a man in Texas who was planning to “blow up” a Confederate war memorial over the weekend, saying the individual was prepared to detonate “liquid explosives” at the base of the statue in Houston, according to the Dallas News.
The suspect, identified as 25-year old Andrew Schneck, is facing charges of attempting to damage or destroy property, and was arrested Saturday while attempting to take-down a statue of Confederate Lieutenant Richard Dowling.
Authorities say the man was first confronted by a park ranger, who approached the suspect as he was loitering around the statue. Police confirmed Schneck possessed “two small boxes with various items inside to include what appeared to be duct tape and wires” at the time of his arrest.
Prosecutors say Schneck was also carrying a bottle containing liquid explosives, including the “highly explosive compound” nitroglycerin.
“In its undiluted form, [nitroglycerin] is one of the world’s most powerful explosives,” said a statement from the prosecutor’s office.
Schneck’s attempt to destroy the Confederate memorial is the latest in string of incidents regarding the monuments that have made headlines in recent days, following the deadly protests that rocked Charlottesville, Virginia over a week ago.
The President has called the removal of Civil War monuments “sad,” adding that you can’t erase American history but you can learn from it.