Federal authorities in Minnesota are currently conducting an investigation into a suspected case of arson that resulted in significant damage to the premises of three conservative organizations. According to the groups, this incident appears to be a deliberate and politically motivated attack. The fire occurred in the early hours of Sunday in Golden Valley, a suburb of Minneapolis, specifically affecting the offices of the Center for the American Experiment, the Upper Midwest Law Center, and TakeCharge. At present, no arrests have been made, and authorities have not disclosed any potential motives. It is worth noting that these three offices are housed within the same building, alongside several other businesses.
“The fires obviously were set by someone,” John Hinderaker, president of Center of the American Experiment, a conservative think tank, said in a statement. “They targeted conservative organizations, they didn’t firebomb the chiropractors or psychologists or the Manufacturers Alliance. We are cooperating with the FBI to try to identify the perpetrators.”
The FBI has not provided any response regarding the request for comment. The Golden Valley Fire Department directed inquiries to the ATF, and the St. Paul field division of the ATF has verified that the fire is currently under investigation as an act of arson.
According to the American Experiment, “The fires occurred around 2:00 am on Sunday morning and were started outside the first-floor offices of American Experiment and TakeCharge, and in the third-floor offices of UMLC. The second floor has no visible fire damage. The three-story building houses a variety of small businesses in addition to the three conservative policy organizations.”
“It is extremely concerning that we may have been the target of an arson attack, constituting an act of domestic terrorism,” Kendall Qualls, president of TakeCharge, said.
“We were targeted because we are a conservative black organization disputing the narrative of systemic racism. If we were a left leaning organization trumpeting the systemic racism mantra, throngs of media outlets would be at our door affirming that we are victims of racism.”
“They can firebomb our offices, but we will never stop promoting the bold truth: The problem of racial disparities is not because of systemic racism. It’s because we have let the crisis of fatherless homes explode to 80+ percent in nearly every major city, including Minneapolis. We are the ONLY national organization promoting the return of the two-parent family and school choice in the [B]lack community. This heinous act emboldens us to be stronger and louder,” he said.
James Dickey, Senior Counsel at the Upper Midwest Law Center, issued a comparable statement.
“We will not be intimidated by this apparent act of domestic terrorism. Our resolve to uphold justice and protect the rights of Minnesotans remains unyielding. Despite the setback, the Upper Midwest Law Center will continue to champion the values of fairness, equality, and freedom for all,” Dickey said. “We are thankful to local fire rescue for their swift action to put out the fire, and to the FBI, ATF, and local authorities for their quick response and dedication to finding the perpetrators. We hope those responsible are brought to justice for this heinous act of violence.”
