A Democratic congresswoman who once dismissed warnings about left-wing violence now finds her own business vandalized and threatened with arson by the very group she was warned about.
When the Revolution Eats Its Own
Marie Glusenkamp Perez represents Washington’s 3rd Congressional District as a moderate Democrat, winning her seat by appealing to constituents who value practical governance over ideological purity. Her February 2026 vote supporting a bill that included funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement apparently crossed a red line for radical activists. The vandalism of her Portland auto shop, co-owned with her husband, came with an explicit message: moderates who support immigration enforcement will pay a price. The anarchist blog post threatening arson even suggested the couple “invest in fire insurance,” escalating from property damage to potentially life-threatening violence.
"you might want to invest in fire insurance"
Vancouver, Wash.-area moderate Democrat congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez @glusenkampf @MGPforCongress has had her Portland, Ore. auto shop attacked by Antifa.
In a post claiming responsibility on an anarchist blog, Antifa call… pic.twitter.com/JdF2UWzwfW
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) February 11, 2026
The Irony Nobody Saw Coming
October 30, 2024 marked a pivotal moment in this story. When Andy Ngo, an independent journalist who has extensively documented Antifa activities in the Pacific Northwest, warned Perez about potential left-wing violence, she publicly dismissed him as a “far-right supporter of the Proud Boys.” Sixteen months later, Ngo broke the news of the attack on her business, complete with photographic evidence and screenshots of the anarchist claim of responsibility. The congresswoman’s earlier dismissal of these warnings now appears dangerously shortsighted. Her silence following the attack stands in stark contrast to her previous willingness to criticize those who warned her about exactly this type of threat.
The Pacific Northwest’s Ongoing Extremism Problem
Portland and the broader Pacific Northwest have served as a proving ground for Antifa tactics since well before the 2020 racial justice protests brought national attention to the region. The decentralized nature of Antifa, confirmed by former FBI Director Chris Wray and the Congressional Research Service, makes it difficult to combat through traditional law enforcement methods. The FBI has issued warnings about potential Antifa attacks at Washington state events, including alerts about threats to gatherings in Tumwater. Recent incidents extend beyond property damage. In January 2026, Minnesota authorities arrested Kyle Wagner, an Antifa supporter, for threatening ICE agents with violence and doxxing them online, demonstrating the movement’s increasingly aggressive posture toward immigration enforcement personnel and anyone perceived as supporting them.
Ideological Purity as Political Weapon
The attack on Perez reveals the dangerous dynamics of ideological purity spirals within progressive movements. Antifa operatives labeled her a member of a “fascist sympathizing power couple” for a single vote supporting ICE funding, a position many moderate Democrats and independents consider reasonable border security policy. This absolutist thinking tolerates no deviation from the most radical positions on immigration enforcement. The lack of vocal Democratic Party defense of Perez following the attack suggests either tacit approval of Antifa tactics or fear of becoming the next target. Either interpretation should trouble Americans who value democratic norms and peaceful political discourse over intimidation and violence.
The Chilling Effect on Democratic Governance
When elected officials face vandalism and arson threats for voting their conscience or representing their constituents’ interests, democracy itself suffers. Perez won her district by understanding that voters want representatives who think independently, not rubber stamps for party orthodoxy. The Antifa attack aims to eliminate that independence through fear. If moderates cannot vote for border security measures without facing property destruction and threats against their families, congressional deliberation becomes hostage to the most extreme voices. Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch characterized Antifa as “leftist terrorists,” a description that seems increasingly accurate when anarchists publish explicit arson threats against elected officials. The absence of arrests or public condemnation from Democratic leadership sends a troubling message about accountability.
The vandalism of Perez’s business represents more than isolated political violence. It exposes the consequences of dismissing legitimate warnings about extremism when those warnings come from ideologically inconvenient sources. Ngo’s documentation of Antifa activities has proven prescient, yet many on the left continue to characterize his journalism as right-wing propaganda. The decentralized structure of Antifa, which some Democrats have downplayed as merely “an idea,” provides no accountability mechanism when members escalate to threatening arson against congressional families. Americans who value the rule of law should demand that all political violence, regardless of the perpetrators’ stated motivations, face swift prosecution and condemnation from leaders across the political spectrum.
Sources:
Antifa Is Now Targeting Moderate Congressional Democrats in Washington State
Trump’s Orders Targeting Antifascism Aim to Criminalize Opposition
Anti-ICE Antifa Member Accused of Calling for Murder, Assault of ICE Officers