[guest post by Dana]

It happened Saturday night:

Gov. Pat McCrory Sunday called the weekend firebombing of a North Carolina Republican headquarters “an attack on our democracy,” while one GOP official called it an act of “political terrorism.”

Hillsborough police said somebody threw a bottle of flammable liquid through the window of Orange County’s GOP headquarters, setting campaign signs, supplies and furniture ablaze before burning itself out.

A swastika and “Nazi Republicans get out of town or else” were spray painted on the side of an adjacent building. No damage estimates were available.

“The firebombing of a local political headquarters in Orange County is clearly an attack on our democracy,” McCrory said in a statement. “Violence has no place in our society – but especially in our elections. … I will use every resource as governor to assist local authorities in this investigation.”

Hillsborough Mayor Tom Stevens said, “This highly disturbing act goes far beyond vandalizing property; it willfully threatens our community’s safety … and its hateful message undermines decency, respect and integrity in civic participation.”

Hillsborough police and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were continuing to investigate. The incident took place in Orange County, home of the University of North Carolina in nearby Chapel Hill.

The article goes on to note that Democrats outnumber Republicans in that part of North Carolina by 3-1.

Here are the responses tweeted out by the candidates for the presidency:

Donald Trump followed his first tweet with:

ALL SAFE IN ORANGE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. With you all the way, will never forget. Now we have to win. Proud of you all! @NCGOP

Democrats stepped up to help to cover the loss:

Democrats launched a GoFundMe campaign that raised over $13,000 in just 10 hours. The campaign reached their goal of $10,000 before it closed the fund, no longer accepting donations.

The campaign was created by David Weinberger, a research fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard Law School. The GoFundMe page had this message:

“On October 16, a North Carolina headquarters of the Republican Party was firebombed, and an abhorrent threat was painted on its outside wall.

“As Democrats, we are starting this campaign to enable the Orange County, North Carolina Republican office to re-open as soon as possible.

“Until an investigation is undertaken, we cannot know who did this or why. No matter the result, this is not how Americans resolve their differences. We talk, we argue, sometimes we march, and most of all we vote. We do not resort to violence by individuals or by mobs.

“So, let’s all pitch in, no matter what your party affiliation, in and get that office open again quickly.”

Obviously, at this point in time, we don’t yet know who was behind this.

–Dana