Pittsburgh couple pleads guilty to charges related to dropping smoke bombs and fireworks at Pitt protest
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A Pittsburgh couple pleaded guilty in federal court this week to obstructing police during a protest last year.
Krystal and Brian DiPippa were both charged with obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder and Brian was also charged with one count of conspiracy.
Both Brian and Krystal were part of an April 2023 protest on Pitt's campus and during said protest, Brian dropped and ignited two homemade smoke bombs in and around a line of people who were there to watch a guest speaker.
Once police arrived to keep protesters from entering the back of the building, Brian and Krystal lit and threw fireworks into the gathering of police, injuring several officers.
"The United States Attorney's Office is dedicated to prosecuting individuals who physically attack our law enforcement partners," said U.S. Attorney Olshan. "The DiPippas went to this event not for the purpose of having their voices heard in a protest, but instead for the purpose of using this protest as a means of cover so that they could disrupt the protest and conceal themselves in a crowd while carrying out a cowardly attack on police officers."
The protest prompted Pitt police to warn people to stay away from the area. Buildings were closed and some were locked down before police cleared the scene around 10 p.m.
"The FBI and our Joint Terrorism Task Force partners want to make it clear: we will not allow the rights protected by the First Amendment to be exploited as cover for individuals to carry out violent attacks on law enforcement," said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. "Peaceful protest is a right afforded to everyone under the Constitution, but not when used as a guise for injuring, maiming, and leaving lasting impacts to victims by launching explosives."
The judge set sentencing for the couple on January 6, 2025. They are facing up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
