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Days Before Primary, Orange County Democrats Report Headquarters Is Vandalized
Orange County Democratic party officials reported over the weekend that their headquarters in the city of Orange had been vandalized with white nationalist propaganda stickers.
The stickers -- which referenced a group party officials said is recognized as a white nationalist hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center -- were discovered Saturday afternoon at the location on West Chapman Avenue. Party officials declined to name the group connected to the stickers but said it was connected to the man convicted of killing Heather Heyer in Charlottesville.
Ada Briceño, who chairs the Democratic Party of Orange County, called the timing of the incident partiaularly concerning.
"It is an attempt to intimidate and suppress, in my opinion, the vote, and we're just not gonna stand for that," Briceño said, noting the discovery of the stickers came just days before Tuesday's primary election.
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Democratic Party of OC offices were vandalized today with white nationalist propaganda. Chair @ada_briceno has a clear response: We will not be intimidated. We will VOTE. #vote #DPOC pic.twitter.com/pqrKmIoRUk
— Democratic Party of OC (@DPOC) March 1, 2020
Party officials filed a police report, which is under investigation. In addition, the party also filed a hate crime report with the County's Human Relations Commission. Briceño said security cameras have been installed at the headquarters and staff are making sure no one is left working in the building alone.
Volunteers and party officials have not been deterred by the vandalism, she said.
"It goes to the core of why people give their volunteer time to make sure that we affect change and put people in offices up and down the ballot that are gonna stand up for immigrant families, that are gonna stand completely in the reverse of white nationalists," Briceño said.
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