Nicky Jo Dawson, Prominent Protester Accused Of Arson Turns Herself In At Allegheny County Jail

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) --Nicky Jo Dawson made sure her voice was heard with her megaphone during the Antwon Rose II protests.

In January of last year, she chanted alongside other protestors outside of Pizza Milano in Uptown when a former manager at the pizza shop got into a scuffle with a woman in an attempt to throw her out of the restaurant in.

The manager was later found not guilty. Customers vowed to boycott the pizza shop and wanted the business closed for good after the incident.

Sources said the 36-year-old is now facing charges of aggravated arson, arson and criminal attempt for starting fires at Pizza Milano and Cafe Milano, both in the city.

The more serious offense at Cafe Milano on 6th Street. Police said Dawson set a trash can and paper from the paper towel dispenser on fire in the bathroom.

On top of that, the police said she also set fire to a stack of pizza boxes near the front of the restaurant.

As for the incident on 5th Avenue at Pizza Milano in Uptown, police said a manager spotted Dawson set a cloth hanging out of a beer bottle on fire with a lighter as she was walking into the cafe's kitchen, then threw it into a fryer filled with cooking oil.

While she did this, police say she said: "I want to see that place on fire."

Police said they were able to identify Dawson through surveillance video.

Neither Pizza Milano or Cafe Milano wanted to talk to on camera. It's unclear if Dawson allegedly set fire to either of these locations in retaliation for the incident at Pizza Milano in January of last year.