Police found artifacts with "free Gaza" messages in the torched ballot boxes

Agents investigating the fire of two ballot boxes that burned in Portland (Oregon) and Vancouver (Washington) found artefacts with "free Gaza"messages on them. The finding has turned the inquiries upside down, according to several sources familiar with the case.

For the moment, investigators are keeping two lines open to "clarify" whether the sabotage came from a true pro-Palestinian activist or whether it was a false-flag attack perpetrated by someone who used the Middle East situation to sow discord in order to accuse radical leftist activists.

A third device was found in an urn in Portland

In statements collected by The New York Times, one of those in charge of the case, who on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that the messages oblige special care to the investigations given the proximity of the elections, and, above all, because of the existing political tension given the equality between the two candidates.

As if that were not enough, the police revealed that a third device with the same message had already been detected in another ballot box in Vancouver this month. At a press conference, several officers noted that they believe the three are linked, and showed an image of a suspicious vehicle near the location of the targeted mailboxes, investigators are asking for citizen collaboration to identify the driver.

"Sufficient evidence was collected in all three scenarios that leads us to believe all three incidents are related, and we cannot go into further detail," said Mike Benner, spokesman for the Portland Bureau of Police. Benner added that he did not yet know if any markings had been identified, but confirmed that the devices were sent for forensic analysis to the Huntsville (Alabama) Terrorist Explosive Device Analysis Center.