(Jacob Bruns, Headline USA) The left-wing terrorist organization Antifa took credit for an arson attack last week on the property of a Portland, Oregon, mayoral candidate, the Post Millennial reported.
On Jan. 12, Rene Gonzalez, a Portland city commissioner and prospective 2024 mayoral candidate, found his car burned at his home. According to an Antifa blog post, however, the actions were totally warranted.
Conservative pundit Andy Ngo tweeted screenshots of the post:
BREAKING: A Portland Antifa blog has posted a claim of responsibility for the arson attack at the home of moderate Portland mayoral candidate @CommissionerRG. The fire destroyed a brand-new car belonging to Rene Gonzalez's parents. The statement references "Tortuguita," the alias… https://t.co/XxsLfQqRqu pic.twitter.com/mA7UFO2nCH
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) January 15, 2024
Although the City Commission’s races are nonpartisan, the all five current members—Mayor Ted Wheeler and four commissioners—are registered Democrats.
However, during his 2022 race to unseat Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, Gonzalez, an attorney and entrepreneur, ran on a platform of addressing the city’s out-of-control crime and homelessness problem, garnering the endorsement of the Portland Police Union.
The incumbent sought to paint Gonzalez as a right-wing extremist and link him to the Patriot Prayer group, which has sometimes clashed with Antifa.
The terror organization called the car burning “an act of community self-defense and a form of mutual aid,” noting that their “only regret is not attacking the other two vehicles” outside of the home.
The author of the post also described the method by which the car was burned with a “fire starter, presumably encouraging other potential terrorists by adding that such a thing “can be found in the outdoors section of any big box store.”
The poster also wrote that the timing of the crime was “intentional,” with the criminal lighting up the car just before the first winter storm of the year in memory of Gonzalez allegedly banning Portlanders from giving out tents to homeless people.
“When extreme weather events occur, it is often anarchists who come to the aid of our neighbors,” claimed the post.
According to the group, “politicians and their capitalist cronies” should understand the crime as a “warning” and a “call to action” to other anarchists.
“Solidarity means attack!” the blog post concluded.
Antifa terrorists have taken to Twitter to support the political violence.
“MANY people deserve to have their cars scorched. Like an unbelievable number of people,” one Portland extremist wrote.
Portland communist extremist Piper Smith @yourfriendpiper tries to incite arson attacks on other political targets in reaction to moderate Portland city council member @CommissionerRG being victim of an arson attack at his family home. Smith works as an analyst for @Bowflex in… pic.twitter.com/dxP7BnYNP8
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) January 14, 2024
The Portland branch of Antifa has been particularly active in recent months as the 2024 election draws nearer.
Last month, for instance, rioters who participated in the weeks of nightly disruptions during the summer and fall of 2020—including the vandalism and destruction of a federal building—filed a new lawsuit against law enforcement alleging negligence and battery.
In July 2020, the lawsuit alleged, “the federal government unleashed unprecedented and sustained violence and intimidation on the people of Portland.”
Of course, the group happily ignored the fact that Antifa engages in such activities perhaps more than any other group in America.
