I’ve never understood wanton hooliganism. If you’re happy, do happy things! If your team wins the World Series, don’t go out and burn up cars and loot businesses. Thoughtless destruction doesn’t make things better.
Tuesday night was a happy time for lots of people. Our country is changing, and the atmosphere was like the Blazers had won the NBA championship. (Don’t laugh, it’s happened before…) People drank, caroused, partied, and mostly behaved. But there’s always someone, a stupid thoughtless jackass who has to make things bad for others.
Sometime around 2 AM, someone or a group of someones went along the westside MAX line downtown, starting fires. Most were in trash cans, but one had disastrous results.
Julia’s Specialty Gifts has been downtown for 22 years. She and her crew had just put up Christmas stock and decorations, and the wrappings, boxes and recyclables were in front of her shop, waiting for the trashman. Someone came along and set it on fire, and the resulting blaze consumed the storefront.
Firefighters responded quickly, containing the fire to the front of the store, but soot and smoke have caused over $100,000 in damages. The store is boarded up at this point, as it is unsafe to enter and exit.
Julia has insurance, but is unsure when (or if) she’ll reopen. Neighbors have been showing support, and wish her the best. When I spoke to one of her workers yesterday afternoon, she said, “This is not the kind of change we were expecting today.”
Police and arson investigators are looking into it, but have few leads. If you happened to be in the area around closing time after the election and saw anyone doing suspicious things, please give Portland Police non-emergency a call at (503) 823-3333.
Good luck, Julia.
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That just sucks. Why when people celebrate do they find the need to destroy things? I watched raw video of Philadelphia after the Phillys won and people were destroying signs and street lights and bus shelters as part of the celebration. It boggles my mind.