Judge Jeanine Pirro claims there is a "rising tide of religious hatred" after man with explosives outside church conducting Red Mass was arrested

On Wednesday, October 8, the Washington DC police arrested Louis Geri - a 41-year-old man from New Jersey - for the possession of 200 explosive materials outside of the St. Matthew's Cathedral, where the annual Red Mass was going to be held.

🚨 BREAKING: U.S. Attorney Judge Jeanine Pirro says a “MAN” had 200 “EXPLOSIVE DEVICES READY TO DETONATE” OUTSIDE of a Church holding a “SUPREME COURT MASS” 🚨@JudgeJeanine: “The EXPLOSION could’ve been VERY BIG” pic.twitter.com/v11QbKGMzy

— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) October 9, 2025

Talking about the arrest with Fox News' Jesse Waters, Judge Jeanine Pirro said: 

"What was seen, Jesse, in America today, is a rising tide of religious hatred, and it is not just one incident or two. We're seeing it over and over again, and under President Trump, we're gonna put a stop to it. Just as you talked about Antifa, the difference between 2020 and 2025 is President Trump isn't gonna take it anymore." 

Then, calling the crime a "classic example" of what the US has witnessed in the recent weeks, Pirro revealed that the man ready to blow off the church claimed to hate the Supreme Court justices, the Catholic Church, Jews, and ICE.

Then adding that the government and law enforcement were going take the crime seriously, Judge Pirro added:

"We're going into a preliminary hearing tomorrow. Assuming that we get the evidence that we need, we will move this to federal court based upon what we believe is nitro-methane, which is the substance that was used by the Oklahoma City bomber."

Jeanine Pirro further mentioned that exact magnitude of the possibe explosion that could have taken place at the Red Mass would be determined in the hearing, after the bomb testing was done. 

According to NBC News, the Red Mass is generally attended by multiple Supreme Court justices, as it marks the beginning of the US Supreme Court's term every year.

Geri, who had set up a tent on the steps leading to the church, was discovered by the police as they were clearing the area near the Roman Catholic church.

When officers approached him, he was holding a butane lighter and a bag of yellow liquid vials, and told them:

"You might want to stay back and call the federales."

The police records state that Louis Geri described his explosive devices "as grenades and explosives containing (nitromethane) with a rubber band securinng a fuse to be used for detonation".

In wake of Louis Geri's arrest, the Supreme Court justices didn't attend this year's Red Mass

Following the arrest of Louis Geri in Washington DC, none of the Supreme Court justices made an appearance in the Red Mass earlier this week (on October 5). 

According to NCROnline, the mass was also delayed by 20 minutes as hundreds of attendees waited outside the St. Matthew's Cathedral. They were later guided to enter through a side entrance. 

The concelebrants who were in attendance this year include Cardinal Christophe Pierre, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, Bishop Michael Burbidge, retired Bishop Paul Loverde, Bishops Roy Campbell Jr. and Juan Esposito.

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