Albany Protest ‘Firestarter’ Arrested on Monday

Albany police have arrested the man they say set fire to the tractor trailer during the George Floyd protest which turned into a riot on South Pearl St. on May 30th.

According to the Albany Police, they got the man who they allege set fire to a tractor trailer in downtown Albany the night that protesting turned into rioting, looting, property damage and fire.  Ah-Juan Boyd, 24, from Albany is alleged to have set fire to the tractor trailer that was located on the corner of South Pearl Street and Westerlo on May 30th.

Boyd was arrested Monday morning, according to the post, and charged with three felonies.

In the viral video shot by Fulton County Area News reporter Ryan Lorey, it is unclear from his vantage point who exactly was responsible as multiple individuals appear to be carrying out in an unruly and violent fashion.   But following an investigation by the APD's Criminal Investigation Unit, Boyd was charged.

Boyd was quite visible and appeared to be photographed at multiple protests.  He appears to have been the focal point in a few viral photos on social media.  In one of the photos he appears in a stare down with Albany police, in another he's seen using a bottle of water to get tear gas out of his eyes.

In a Facebook post shared by hundreds of people, one supporter of Boyd claims that he "had to" turn himself in at Albany County Jail.   This same supporter has also set up a donation fund to held bail Boyd out of jail.

According to News 10 ABC, he was arraigned and released.