GOP Headquarters In North Carolina Firebombed Next To Sign “Nazi Republicans Get Out”

Hillsborough police are investigating an apparent firebombing of the Orange County Republican headquarters, an incident that one state GOP official called an act of “political terrorism” according to the Charlotte observer.  Police say the incident occurred when a bottle of flammable liquid was thrown through the front window of the office on Ja-Max Dr.

The flammable substance appears to have ignited inside the building, burned some furniture and damaged the building’s interior before going out. The substance was housed in a bottle thrown through one of the building’s front windows. No damage estimates are available yet, and Hillsborough police are continuing to investigate the incident with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

The building, located at 347 Ja-Max Drive in the Shops at Daniel Boone, was struck overnight with hate graffiti and with a flammable material thrown through a front window of the headquarters. The graffiti — which included a swastika and the words “Nazi Republicans leave town or else” — was spray-painted in black on the side of an adjacent building, Balloons Above Orange, 353 Ja-Max Drive. The damage was discovered this morning by another business owner, who reported it before 9 a.m.

“The office itself is a total loss,” said Dallas Woodhouse, executive director of state GOP. “The only thing important to us is that nobody was killed, and they very well could have been.”

Police said the words, “Nazi Republicans get out of town or else” were spray painted on the side of an adjacent building.

“This highly disturbing act goes far beyond vandalizing property; it willfully threatens our community’s safety via fire, and its hateful message undermines decency, respect and integrity in civic participation,” Hillsborough Mayor Tom Stevens said. “I believe I speak for the overwhelming majority of people who make Hillsborough their home: Acts like this have no place in our community. Our law enforcement officials are responding quickly and thoroughly to investigate this reprehensible act and prosecute the perpetrators.”

The North Carolina Republican party issued the following statement:

The mayor said law enforcement officials are investigating the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call the police department’s tip line at 919-732-3975.

In the meantime, Woodhouse said he’s sending an advisory to county Republican offices across the state warning them to take extra caution.