The Republican Party’s Albuquerque headquarters was set on fire and spray-painted with the words “ICE = KKK” on Sunday, prompting an arson investigation.
“Agents working with local authorities recovered unspecified ‘incendiary materials’ at the scene,” a Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) spokesperson told the Associated Press.
Republican Party of New Mexico Chairwoman Amy Barela called the incident “a deliberate act of arson.” “The New Mexico headquarters has become a frequent target over the last few years, facing other acts of vandalism and one instance of a bomb threat,” Fox News reports.
The anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) graffiti suggests the attack was politically motivated. “Trump 2024” posters were prominently displayed in the building’s front window, as well as elsewhere inside the GOP headquarters.
Democrat New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has issued a statement condemning the attack and offering her state’s assistance to the ATF:
“There is no excuse for political violence or vandalism of any kind, and I strongly condemn Sunday’s attack on the New Mexico Republican Party headquarters in Albuquerque. I am relieved that no one was hurt, and New Mexicans can rest assured that State Police and the Fire Marshal’s Office will assist the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms as needed during the investigation.”