Arsonists destroy ballot boxes to ‘free Gaza’
Arsonists who set fire to ballot boxes in two states this week appear to have done so to “free Gaza.”
Between 3:00 and 4:00 AM Monday, a ballot box in Vancouver, WA, and another in Portland, OR were set aflame, destroying hundreds of ballots. Authorities discovered incendiary devices inside, though no descriptions of the devices have been released. According to the New York Times, they appear to be linked to an attempted burning of another ballot box in Vancouver earlier this month because two of the incendiary devices had “Free Gaza” written on them, while a third said “Free Palestine.”
On Tuesday, Andy Ngo reported for the New York Post that according to an election official, a folded white paper was found at one of the Vancouver locations which read: “ALL DROP BOXES WILL BURN. FREE GAZA.” Ngo says the official is not authorized to speak on the record.
Authorities in both states have instructed voters who deposited their ballots in the boxes to try tracking them online or to contact the local auditor’s office for replacement ballots.
The FBI is investigating the incidents, though it has not yet confirmed a motive for the attacks. Commenting on this, Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) said:
Devices with “Free Gaza” messages were found at the ballot box fires in Oregon and Washington. Yet, despite the obvious answers right in front of them, the police are somehow struggling to determine the motive for the arson fires.
The Anti-Israel extremists behind the fires are metaphorical and literal arsonists, intent on burning down America itself. Anti-Americanism is not merely a byproduct of Anti-Zionism. It is the product.
Police struggling with criminal motives
Social media users chimed in saying this is the second incident in a week where law enforcement appears stymied about a motive despite obvious signs.
On Saturday, a 22-year-old Muslim man named Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi shot an Orthodox Jew who was walking to synagogue in Chicago’s West Roger's Park neighborhood. When an ambulance arrived, Abdallahi shot at it. Police neutralized him before he caused any further injuries.
During the attack, Abdallahi shouted “Allahu Akbar!” Chicago police, however, say they are unsure of the motive for the attack.
"There's been a lot of information circulating about the shooting and we ask that the public not rush to judgement in this situation," said Larry Snelling, superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.
When asked by reporters about Abdallahi’s shout of “Allahu Akbar,” police refused to even say it was Arabic, seemingly afraid of appearing racist.
“I want to make sure I’m not misstating anything, and so we can coordinate through the Office of News Affairs because I am certainly not going to misspeak and have there be any misunderstanding about this statement,” said a spokeswoman cagily.
