Arson investigators are asking the public to help identify those responsible for nearly 100 arson fires in Portland over the past two weeks.
According to the list released by the Portland Police Bureau and Portland Fire & Rescue, most of the fires were set in and near downtown. Suspected causes include fireworks and Molotov cocktails. Targets range from offices to vehicles to portable toilets, piles of debris and dumpsters.
The fires being investigated started on May 29, shortly after repeated anti-police violence protests started following the death of African American George Floyd in the custody of the Minneapolis police.
Nearly 100 arson fires in Portland under investigation
100 point of arson fire is not a “peaceful protest” in anybody’s dictionary. Nero and Sherman would be impressed at the firebugs’ dedication.
Should Portland be abandoned or saved from its attackers? No idea. I know that the Feds should only remain vigilant about Federal property. And President Trump should let the city and state officials deal with the problem. It is not like people of Portland will appreciate the effort to pacify the place. Nope, come election time, they will vote for the same local and state idiots and for Biden.
Maybe Antifa already is planning on taking voting precincts to make sure the right6 votes are the only ones allowed…multiple times.
Today, the lead WSJ editorial and a major op-ed both argue to “let it burn”.
On the subject of federal facilities, the simple answer is to abandon them. Move the courthouse to Baker City, OR — or to Boise, ID. Move the Customs office out of town as well, perhaps to Astoria (making arriving ships clear customs there). Close Portland airport to international travel. That may not quite be all of it but it’s a major start, and it has the advantage that it would really hurt.
Remove all Federal influence for Portland? The lack of income itself will be not small. Of course no federal grants or loans.
Covert the whole place to a CHAZ? There is an interesting perversion there.
I’d be more than somewhat reluctant to respond to calls regarding fires in “active protest” areas, were I part of Portland’s FD.
Granted buildings today are more fire-resistant than in the past, due to both materials and systems such as sprinklers … but at this point I have to wonder how long it will be before one of the arsonists gets “lucky” and a major conflagration takes place.
Portland has a lot historic buildings from the 19th century in the downtown area, a conflagration is a real possibility.
Not sure why the Portland PD is even bothering to investigate these arsons. The Mayor will provide cover for the “exuberant” protestors, and the prosecutors will at best give them a misdemeanor fine for littering.
Why investigate?
The BATFE and US Attorney can create a federal arson case too.
As much as I want to see the leftist idiot Mayor, Assembly, and other leaders of Portland suffer, significantly from their idiocy, unfortunately, there are a lot of Portlanders that are just trying to live their lives. There are some leftwing tree huggers with the mental capacity of a toddler, sure, but that does not represent Portland as a whole.
And, that is true for any city. 10-20% of the people will totally screw it up for the rest of us.
Should the Feds let Portland burn? Probably not. As much as I would enjoy seeing that, I also recognize that it is not the person who lost their business that is to blame, it is a weak mayoral administration. On the other hand, when the Mayor comes begging to the Feds (or more likely has the Governor do it on his behalf), the answer should be no. You allowed these people free run to loot, burn, etc… you clean it up.
Much like your average child, the leftists mayors and governors do not understand that you cannot tell Mom that you hate her, and still expect to get your weekly allowance.
You’re right, a lot of people just trying to live their lives – small business owners, and their employees, for instance – are likely to get hurt; hopefully this will only be financial.
On the other hand … in this country there are, generally, no non-self-imposed restrictions on where one lives and works. Family nearby, child-visitation agreements, etc., are all of our own personal situations and not systemic. Similarly, depending on what business one chooses to be in, a given locality might or might not allow you to be there. (E.g. try to be a gun-store owner in San Francisco.)
But, there are very, very few overarching mandates that say “this person, these people, that business, cannot leave.” So it becomes a risk/reward trade each person must make individually.
So my sympathy is tempered. If the populace of Portland, Seattle, Chicago, et cetera, as a whole continues to vote the same people and parties back into power; and if individuals choose to continue to remain under those conditions; that is their choice.
I feel no obligation to pay for those choices, any more than I do someone who chooses to rebuild on a flood plain after a flood. (Different discussion, but similar principle.) After the first time, when the lesson should have been learned, I have little sympathy. Or, rather, while I might commiserate, I refuse to validate the choice.
The mayor deserves prison time for violating civil rights under the color of law. He has repeatedly blocked investigations into crimes committed by the leftist mobs, including multiple beatings and arsons.
Related: George Floyd trial. The gag order will be lifted. The judge will rule on releasing the body cam video soon. They are allowing people to view body cam video at the court house by appointment this week.
A KMSP TV reporter casually mentioned on air that as Police Officer Lane walked up to George Floyd, Officer Lane saw George Floyd ingest several packages of drugs. That should be on the body cam video, which the reporter has seen. First time I have heard that.
No decision on the change of venue requests. Also nothing on individual trials which are likely to happen.
The response of decent Americans to the scum that is BLM and pantifa is a dilemma. Ignore and mock them or destroy them or a third path…
On one hand, letting them burn their Leftist-controlled cities to the ground will have severe long-term consequences for them. Something about not shitting where you eat and sleep type of justice.
On the other hand, there are many good people caught in this mess simply by being there. A response for law and order with shooting the rioters is satisfying. Except it plays into the hands of the extremists who want it for political leverage.
I think PDJT should deny them any recovery money AND declare that upcoming voting in these areas of unrest cannot proceed for safety reasons. Areas that are infested with leftists. Give the local governments the choice of either ending the violence themselves, most likely by force, or forfeit participation in the elections.
Burn baby burn, they voted for the left mayor. Reap what you sow