Ballot boxes set on fire in Washington, Oregon marked with ‘Free Gaza’ message
In a series of alarming incidents, three ballot boxes in the Pacific Northwest were set ablaze using incendiary devices labeled with the phrase “Free Gaza.” The most recent fire occurred on October 28 in Vancouver, Washington, where nearly 500 ballots were damaged but recoverable, while an unknown number were completely destroyed. Investigations suggest that the suspect or suspects linked to this arson are responsible for two additional fires: one at a ballot box in Portland, Oregon, and another in Vancouver on October 8. Authorities have collected enough evidence to connect all three incidents, indicating a potential pro-Palestinian motive behind the attacks. A note stating, “ALL DROP BOXES WILL BURN. FREE GAZA,” was found at the site of the latest fire. This violence comes amidst heightened unrest in the region in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, notably following the Hamas-led attack on Israel, which has intensified protests and civil disturbances in both Washington and Oregon.
Ballot boxes set on fire by incendiary devices marked with ‘Free Gaza’ message
Three ballot boxes set on fire by an unknown arsonist in the Pacific Northwest had incendiary devices marked with the phrase “Free Gaza” inside.
Nearly 500 ballots were damaged but recoverable, and an unknown number were completely destroyed in an arson fire set to a Vancouver, Washington, ballot box by an unknown person on Oct. 28.
The suspect or suspects who set the Vancouver ballot box on fire with incendiary devices has been linked to two additional fires that damaged a ballot box in Portland, Oregon, on Monday, as well as an Oct. 8 fire at a different ballot drop box in Vancouver.
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“There was enough evidence collected at all three scenes that lead us to believe that all three incidents are connected, and we cannot get into more detail,” Mike Benner, a spokesman for the Portland Police Bureau, said following the two latest arson attacks on Monday.
The New York Times reported that all three incendiary devices had the pro-Gaza message written on them. The New York Post also reported that a note saying “ALL DROP BOXES WILL BURN. FREE GAZA” was found at the site of the Vancouver ballot box fire on Monday.
The attack on election security in Portland and Washington by a suspect whom evidence suggests could be a pro-Palestinian activist comes after both areas have been rocked by leftist agitators for years. During the Black Lives Matter protests, progressives in Portland broke into riots for a “summer of rage” that revolved around looting and vandalism. Washington saw similar riots, with BLM activists taking over several blocks of Seattle and claiming it as the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, or “Chaz.” The riots led to multiple deaths across Washington and Portland.
The region has once again seen a rise in unrest following the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that murdered 1,200 civilians. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators staged encampments at multiple universities denouncing Israel’s war in Gaza, with tense protests at institutions such as the University of Washington and Portland State University turning into violent altercations.
As authorities have yet to apprehend the person who vandalized the ballot boxes in Vancouver and Portland, It remains unclear whether they were an anti-Israel agitator.
Officials are investigating the incident, to determine whether the unknown arsonist could have scrawled “Free Gaza” on the incendiary devices merely to sow discord before they confirm the perpetrator was a pro-Palestinian activist, per comments to the New York Times.
Meanwhile, Portland Police Bureau Assistant Chief Amanda McMillan noted during a news conference Monday that the fires are “targeted” and expressed concern that they are “trying to impact the election process.”
The FBI’s Seattle office is conducting an investigation into the arson attacks.
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