On the first new moon of 2024, some anarchists torched a car in front of portland city commissioner rene gonzalez’s house. This was accomplished with a fire starter, which can be found in the outdoors section of any big box store.
Gonzalez lives in an extravagantly wealthy neighborhood adjacent to a golf course, where the roads have no potholes, the sidewalks are intact, and the countless “neighborhood watch” signs serve as a reminder to any poor outsiders and undesirables that this is not a place for us. The car was one of three at the residence and was parked in the street. Our only regret is not attacking the other two vehicles.
We dedicate our action to the legacy of our elders and those who have passed too soon: Sekou Odinga, Klee Benally, Alfredo Bonanno, Tortuguita, but most importantly Tyrone Johnson II & Isaac L. Seavey. Tyrone and Isaac are the latest victims in the ongoing executions of homeless portlanders by the cops. These state executions are implicitly & explicitly encouraged by the likes of gonzalez and other elected politicians in portland as well as the various corporate and lobbying interests who wish to see the city turned into a haven for wealthy tech-yuppies and a site of financial extraction for various hedge funds and developers.
The timing of our attack was intentional. As the city braces for the first winter storm of the year, we have not forgotten the winter storm last year that arrived shortly shortly after gonzalez banned portland street response, an agency under his purview, from giving out tents to homeless portlanders. It is not uncommon for folks to die during the weather extremes that are becoming common (and are fueled in part by the likes of the gonzalez family who own multiple vehicles). When extreme weather events occur, it is often anarchists who come to the aid of our neighbors. We consider our actions under the new moon an act of community self-defense and a form of mutual aid.
Let this serve as a warning to the politicians and their capitalist cronies and a call to action to other anarchists. Solidarity means attack!
submitted anonymously