Vermont Man Arrested Over Alleged Plot to Target Protesters with Firebomb
A 43-year-old Vermont man is facing serious charges after police alleged he attempted to light an incendiary device while driving near a protest in Brattleboro, a town strongly opposed to war in Venezuela.
According to authorities, Oscar Whelan was spotted by witnesses sitting in his car outside the protesters and trying to ignite something coming from what appeared to be a bottle. However, once traffic started building up behind his vehicle, Whelan allegedly stopped what he was doing and sped off.
The Brattleboro Police Department reported that they received multiple complaints about a man who allegedly pulled up to a protest on December 6th and tried to light a fire inside his car. The police stated that based on witness descriptions, it appeared Whelan was trying to set some sort of incendiary device.
Whelan's actions coincided with a protest in Pliny Park centered around the theme "No war on Venezuela, no more murders on the high seas," according to local news outlet Brattleboro Reformer. The police further reported that days after the incident, Whelan obtained ammunition through the mail - a violation of his conditions of release from earlier incidents involving the Brattleboro Food Co-op and Windham County Courthouse.
A search of Whelan's apartment allegedly turned up a handgun, four boxes of ammunition, camouflage body armor, a metal baton, two fixed blade knives, a rifle, six magazines, ammunition, a hatchet, and pepper spray.
Whelan is scheduled for arraignment on January 27th in connection with the December 6th incident. He is being held on $2,500 bond according to Brattleboro police.
A 43-year-old Vermont man is facing serious charges after police alleged he attempted to light an incendiary device while driving near a protest in Brattleboro, a town strongly opposed to war in Venezuela.
According to authorities, Oscar Whelan was spotted by witnesses sitting in his car outside the protesters and trying to ignite something coming from what appeared to be a bottle. However, once traffic started building up behind his vehicle, Whelan allegedly stopped what he was doing and sped off.
The Brattleboro Police Department reported that they received multiple complaints about a man who allegedly pulled up to a protest on December 6th and tried to light a fire inside his car. The police stated that based on witness descriptions, it appeared Whelan was trying to set some sort of incendiary device.
Whelan's actions coincided with a protest in Pliny Park centered around the theme "No war on Venezuela, no more murders on the high seas," according to local news outlet Brattleboro Reformer. The police further reported that days after the incident, Whelan obtained ammunition through the mail - a violation of his conditions of release from earlier incidents involving the Brattleboro Food Co-op and Windham County Courthouse.
A search of Whelan's apartment allegedly turned up a handgun, four boxes of ammunition, camouflage body armor, a metal baton, two fixed blade knives, a rifle, six magazines, ammunition, a hatchet, and pepper spray.
Whelan is scheduled for arraignment on January 27th in connection with the December 6th incident. He is being held on $2,500 bond according to Brattleboro police.
... I mean, sure, trying to light a firebomb near protesters isn't cool, but have you seen his profile pics? He's got that whole "outdoorsy" vibe goin' on 
... thinks he's some kind of patriot, tryin' to stand up for the people in Venezuela. And let's be real, the gov't is always gonna be a little too quick to label someone as a threat 
... what if Oscar was just tryna protect himself from all the anger and frustration that comes with these protests? Don't we want to hear his side of the story before we start judgin' him harshly? 
this guy whelan is super suspicious 
and his actions are super scary 
like trying to light a firebomb near protesters 
that's not okay at all 
. What's going on in vermont rn 
? 
he shouldnt be allowed to have all those things 
like ammo and guns and body armor 
and pepper spray 
that's just crazy 
. I dont think he should be released on bail 
he's just a guy trying to make ends meet but gets pulled into all this drama 
like what if he was really trying to stop ppl from getting hurt or smthn? 
whelan's got a history of run-ins w/ law but can we really say he's malicious? 
. And on top of all this, he's got a history of run-ins with the law - it's like he has no regard for human life or basic decency at all 
. Four boxes of ammunition in his apartment? Are you kidding me?! This guy needs to be held accountable and I hope he gets the maximum sentence 
.
. but seriously, how hard is it to get frustrated and want to do something drastic when you're passionate about an issue? i think we need to find better ways to deal with our emotions than resorting to violence or threats 
.
. Like, what was he thinking? 
. This guy is not to be messed with. I'm glad the police were able to catch him before anything bad happened 
.
i mean what if people got hurt or worse?? its so scary to think about someone trying to incite violence in a peaceful protest. and to think he even tried to hide it by speeding off when the traffic started building up... meanwhile he's out there buying more ammo like is he really that confident that no one will find out? 
. It's so sad that he had to resort to something as extreme as a firebomb just to express his feelings. Can't we all just have a respectful conversation and listen to each other instead? 
.
I mean, I get it, he was trying to be some kind of vigilante or whatever, but the law doesn't work that way. If you've got a bone to pick with someone, talk to them like a normal human being, don't try to take matters into your own hands.
And what's with the ammo he got through the mail? That's some serious red flag stuff right there.