Fire at Sanders’ Vermont office investigated as arson after series of vandalism incidents targeting lawmakers

Investigators are treating a fire at Sen. Bernie Sanders’ office in Vermont on Friday night as an arson, according to local authorities.

In a news release updated Saturday afternoon, the Burlington Fire Department announced that it had “deemed this fire to be incendiary in nature” and said the investigation had been transferred to the Vermont State Police.

State police said they are searching for a suspect believed to have used a possible accelerant to start a “significant fire” in an area of ​​the senator’s office that endangered staff inside. According to the Burlington Fire Department, the sprinkler system put out the flames and none of the personnel were injured.

As of Saturday afternoon, authorities had not revealed a motive for the attack.

Friday’s fire follows a series of minor violations, which have otherwise been limited to stickers and spray paint vandalism, at other lawmakers’ offices in recent months.

Multiple lawmakers who have expressed support for Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza have faced cases of defacement or vandalism at state or federal offices.

More recently, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) reported to Capitol Police last Friday that “Free Palestine” stickers had been placed on signs outside his Capitol office referencing Israeli hostages held since October 7.

Gottheimer, who has drawn attention to Israelis held captive by Hamas, said it was the second time the posters had been tampered with.

Other legislators, such as Representatives. David Valadao (R-Calif.) and Greg Landsman (D-OH), have reported vandalism at their district offices, including one such message outside Landsman’s Ohio office that read, “this Ken supports genocide,” a play on the viral movie “Barbie.” . “Peaceful protests can be powerful, but vandalism and dangerous rhetoric are wrong and ineffective,” Landsman said in response.

House Armed Services Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said in December that the garage door of his home in Bellevue, Washington, had been spray painted with a message in support of a ceasefire. At the time, Smith openly expressed his support for Israel’s war in Gaza, although more recently he called on Israel to “change the way they are carrying out this war” following the bombing of a World Central Kitchen convoy on Monday that killed seven people.