Devices used in Oregon, Washington ballot box fires had 'Free Gaza' messages, reports say
Pro-Palestinian messages were found on the devices used to burn ballot boxes in the Pacific Northwest earlier this week, according to reports.
The New York Times and ABC News, citing anonymous sources, reported that a message reading "Free Gaza" appeared on the devices used in Monday's arsons, which took place 15 miles from each other in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington.
The fires came less than one week before the Nov. 5 presidential election.
The fires also came after a similar incident on Oct. 8, when smoke was reported near a ballot drop box and a suspicious device was found nearby, Vancouver officials said in a news release at the time.
Messages saying "Free Gaza" and "Free Palestine" also appeared on the device found Oct. 8 near the ballot box in Vancouver, the Times and ABC reported.
It was not immediately known whether the suspect was a pro-Palestinian activist or whether the fires were an attempt to cause confusion ahead of the election, the outlets reported, citing anonymous sources.
USA TODAY reached out to agencies investigating the arsons early Wednesday, including the FBI, the Portland Police Department and the City of Vancouver Police Department.
The FBI said this week that it was working with authorities in the Pacific Northwest to search for suspects.
A motive was not immediately known.
Where were the ballot box arsons?
In Oregon, Portland police said they responded to reports of a fire at a ballot box in the Buckman neighborhood at about 3:30 a.m. Monday. Thirty minutes later and less than 15 miles to the north, Vancouver police responded to an arson at a ballot box.
Later Monday, Portland police released two photos of a vehicle investigators believe was tied to both fires. It was described as a black or dark-colored 2001-2004 Volvo S-60 with no front license plate and an unknown rear plate.
The FBI said in a statement to USA TODAY that it was "coordinating with federal, state and local partners" to investigate the fires. The FBI declined to comment on whether the arsons would be investigated as domestic terrorism.
The incidents come amid heightened safety and security concerns ahead of Election Day.
Election officials said the Vancouver fire resulted in hundreds of burned ballots. Damage was limited in Portland, officials said.
Contributing: John Bacon, Aysha Bagchi, Josh Meyer and Phillip M. Bailey
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ballot box fires in Oregon, Washington: What we know