NYC lawyer sentenced to 15 months in jail for fire-bombing police car during 2020 protests

A former attorney in New York was sentenced this week for throwing a molotov cocktail at a New York City Police Department vehicle during the riots of 2020 following the death of George Floyd.

Urooj Rahman was taken into custody and indicted in 2020 after she threw a burning Bud Light bottle filled with gasoline at an NYPD vehicle. She was charged with felony counts including arson, use of a destructive device, and civil disorder. Rahman pleaded guilty and apologized.

This week, Rahman was handed a sentence of 15 months in prison as well as a $30,137 fine. Federal Judge Brian Cogan compared Rahman’s actions to riots in the West Bank or in Belfast, and launched an “attack on the rule of law.”

Rahman has expressed remorse for throwing the fire bomb, and said that she has taken steps to improve herself, including seeking professional therapy.

“I’m so incredibly sorry for my reckless and wrong actions,” she said. “I don’t think there are enough words to express my sorrow and regret.”

Rahman is required to surrender herself by January 15, according to Judge Cogan’s ruling. Her release will be followed by two years of supervised probation. Cogan acknowledged that Rahman has made a genuine effort to better her life, and called her “a remarkable person who did a terrible thing on one night.”

In addition to her legal issues, Rahman was disbarred by the New York Bar Association due to her role in the incident.