Headquarters of New Mexico Republican Party Targeted in ‘Deliberate Act of Arson’

The headquarters for the Republican Party in New Mexico was targeted Sunday in what is being called “a deliberate act of arson,” leaving the entryway to the building destroyed.

In a post on X, the Republican Party of New Mexico revealed the damage to the state’s GOP headquarters in Albuquerque also included the words “ICE=KKK” spray painted on a wall of the building. The attack was described as being “fueled by hatred and intolerance.”

“Early this morning, the entryway of the Republican Party of New Mexico’s headquarters in Albuquerque was destroyed in a deliberate act of arson which also included spray painting the words ‘ICE=KK,'” the post read. “This horrific attack, fueled by hatred and intolerance, is a direct assault on our values, freedoms, and our right to political expression.”

Amy Barela, the chairwoman of the Republican Party in New Mexico issued a statement expressing relief that no one was harmed.

“We are deeply relieved that no one was harmed in what could have been a tragic and deadly attack,” Barela said. “Those who resort to violence to undermine our state and nation must be held accountable, and our state leaders must reinforce through decisive action that these cowardly attacks will not be tolerated.”

Barela continued:

We are working closely with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), local law enforcement, and federal investigators. We are committed to providing every piece of evidence necessary to bring those responsible to justice and ensure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Daniel Garcia, a spokesperson for the Democratic Party of New Mexico issued a statement that the party hopes “whoever is responsible is found and held accountable,” according to the Albuquerque Journal.

“We firmly maintain that this sort of act has absolutely no place in our democracy, and that peaceful discourse and organization are the only ways to approach political difference in our country,” said Garcia.

Officials from Albuquerque Fire Rescue (AFR) and Bernalillo County Fire Rescue “responded to a call of a structure fire” a little before 6:00 a.m. and the fire was reportedly “brought under control within five minutes,” according to the outlet.

Barela vowed that the Republican Party in the state would “emerge from this strong, more united, and more determined to fight for the people” in the state.

“We will not allow New Mexico’s broken criminal justice system to dilute the seriousness of this attack,” Barela said. “The Republican Party of New Mexico will not be silenced. We will emerge from this stronger, more united, and more determined to fight for the people of New Mexico and the future of our country. Let us not forget: it was the Democrat Party that once supported the formation of the KKK, pushed Jim Crow laws, and defended slavery.”