U.S. Code » Title 18 » Part PART I— CRIMES › Chapter CHAPTER 45— FOREIGN RELATIONS

18 U.S.C. § 970

Protection of property occupied by foreign governments

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(a) Whoever willfully injures, damages, or destroys, or attempts to injure, damage, or destroy, any property, real or personal, located within the United States and belonging to or utilized or occupied by any foreign government or international organization, by a foreign official or official guest, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.(b) Whoever, willfully with intent to intimidate, coerce, threaten, or harass—(1) forcibly thrusts any part of himself or any object within or upon that portion of any building or premises located within the United States, which portion is used or occupied for official business or for diplomatic, consular, or residential purposes by—(A) a foreign government, including such use as a mission to an international organization;(B) an international organization;(C) a foreign official; or(D) an official guest; or(2) refuses to depart from such portion of such building or premises after a request—(A) by an employee of a foreign government or of an international organization, if such employee is authorized to make such request by the senior official of the unit of such government or organization which occupies such portion of such building or premises;(B) by a foreign official or any member of the foreign official’s staff who is authorized by the foreign official to make such request;(C) by an official guest or any member of the official guest’s staff who is authorized by the official guest to make such request; or(D) by any person present having law enforcement powers;shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.(c) For the purpose of this section “foreign government”, “foreign official”, “international organization”, and “official guest” shall have the same meanings as those provided in section 1116(b) of this title.(Added Pub. L. 92–539, title IV, § 401, Oct. 24, 1972, 86 Stat. 1073; amended Pub. L. 94–467, § 7, Oct. 8, 1976, 90 Stat. 2000; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 601(a)(2), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3498.)Editorial NotesAmendments

1996—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–294 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $500” in concluding provisions.

1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $10,000”.

1976—Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 94–467 added subsec. (b), redesignated former subsec. (b) as (c), and struck out reference to section 1116(c) of this title.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 13 cases (6 in the last 5 years), 1974–2026 · leading case: United States v. Victor Vancier
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United States v. Victor Vancier (1975) ca2 · cites it 2× “18 U.S.C. § 970 (Supp. III 1973). On August 20, 1974, after it was informed of the federal complaint, the New York City Criminal Court adjourned the state complaint in contemplation of dismissal under N.”
United States v. Woods (2024) ca5 “18 U.S.C. § 970 (a). Thus, Woods’s above-Guidelines sentence does not “represent[] a clear error of judgment” by the district court.”
United States v. William R. Perl (1978) ca4 “Perl was convicted of willfully attempting to damage property utilized by foreign officials in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 970 , of unlawfully receiving a firearm purchased outside the State of Maryland in violation of 18 U.”
United States v. Frederick G. Norton (1987) ca1 “§ 874 (kickbacks from public works employees) 18 U.S.C. § 970 (occupation or breach of foreign embassy with intent to intimidate, etc.”
United States v. Alazo (2023) dcd · cites it 7× “§ 112 (a) (Count One), and Willfully Injuring or Damaging Property Belonging To or Occupied By a Foreign Government, International Organization, Foreign Official, or Official Guest, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 970 (a) (Count Two) – do not satisfy the “crime of violence” element…”
United States v. Henry Skrypeck and Joan K. Cavanagh (1974) cadc “18 U.S.C. §§ 970 , 1116(c) (1970 Supp. II).”
United States v. Segers (2018) dcd · cites it 2× “MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER Defendant Was arrested on November 4, 2017, and charged by complaint With two instances of Willfully damaging property belonging to or utilized or occupied by a foreign government, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 970 (a). He made his initial appearance…”
Presidential Power to Expel Diplomatic Personnel from the United States (1980) olc · cites it 3× “Under 18 U.S.C. §970 , damage or unauthorized occupancy of a diplomatic mission is a crim e.”
United States v. Mahoney-Smith (2018) dcd “§ 915 , one count of remaining on diplomatic, consular, or official property without authority in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 970 (b)(2), and one count of Contempt of Court, in violation of D.”
United States v. Yefei Wen (2023) ca9 “18 U.S.C. § 970 (a). He argues that the district court erred in applying an enhancement to his sentence based on his possession of a car and a hammer, as well as a rope and a box cutter, in connection with the offense.”
United States v. Grabinski (2025) dcd “BACKGROUND On June 17, 2022, the Government issued a two-count indictment charging Grabinski with (1) attempted violation of protection of property used by foreign governments, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 970 (a); and (2) attempted arson, in violation of 18 U.”
United States v. Grabinski (2025) dcd “The Grabinski I] indictment charges him with (1) attempted violation of protection of property used by foreign governments, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 970 (a); and (2) attempted arson, in violation of 18 U.”
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