The burning of ballot boxes in Oregon and Washington State is believed to be the work of one or more anti-Israel protesters after a note was found that read, “ALL DROP BOXES WILL BURN. FREE GAZA," the New York Post reported.
The arson of the ballot boxes in Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon occurred at around 3-4 a.m. Monday morning local time. Fire suppressant systems extinguished the flames at the Portland site, but hundreds of ballots were destroyed at the Vancouver site.
In addition, the New York Times reported that the words “Free Gaza” were found on three incendiary devices used in the attacks on the ballot boxes.
The FBI has joined the investigation into the arson, which occurred as early voting was underway for next week's US presidential election.
A source told the New York Post that a political letter was found in another ballot box in Vancouver several hours after the arson attack. Officials have refused to comment on the letter or on many details of the attack to avoid inspiring copycat attacks and to avoid scaring voters off from using ballot boxes.
Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-NY) wrote in response to the reports, "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," Torres wrote.