A group of individuals wearing hoods and masks launched an attack early Monday morning, vandalizing the Multnomah County Elections office by breaking numerous windows and spray painting anti-government messages on the building. Portland police described the incident as a planned assault, occurring just before 2 a.m., with the suspects fleeing the scene as law enforcement arrived.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day addressed the media, indicating that the incident appeared to be a coordinated effort. He noted that approximately eight to ten individuals carried out the vandalism within a span of about two minutes, suggesting they had a specific plan in place. Day emphasized that the message conveyed through the graffiti was distinctly anti-establishment and anti-government in nature.
While the timing of the attack coincided with President Donald Trump’s inauguration, Chief Day clarified that there is no indication this incident was directly linked to the event. He pointed out that similar acts of vandalism have occurred regardless of political leadership, underlining a broader pattern of such events.
As of Tuesday morning, police had not made any arrests but were actively reviewing surveillance footage. They urged anyone with pertinent information to come forward. The footage captured approximately eight individuals dressed in gray hoodies and face masks approaching the building, where they retrieved spray paint and vandalized the exterior. Some of the group used heavy objects from plastic bags to smash windows, resulting in extensive damage. Another video showed four individuals, again clad in matching attire, breaking multiple windows in rapid succession before fleeing.
By around 9 a.m. Monday, repair work began, with windows boarded up. The Elections office operated normally the following Tuesday, as confirmed by Denis Theriault from the Multnomah County Communications Office. Elections Director Tim Scott noted that in his 17 years with Multnomah County, such an incident had never occurred. Plans were quickly made to replace the damaged windows by hiring a contractor to assess the necessary repairs.
The county’s security team is collaborating with the Portland Police Department to investigate the vandalism. In related news, police are also looking into a previous attack on a ballot box that took place in October. An incendiary device had been detonated, damaging ballots days before the Election Day, although the fire was swiftly controlled by a suppression system within the box. Additionally, two other fires were reported in ballot boxes located in Vancouver, Washington, leading to damage to hundreds of ballots during the 2024 election cycle.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the incendiary devices used in these attacks consisted of an extremely volatile combination of thermite and scrap metal.
