PHOTOS: Tea Party bus vandalized in Phoenix during nationwide tour
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
FIRST ON FOX: The national Tea Party’s “Only Citizens Vote” tour bus had its tires slashed last night during a stop in Phoenix as the group has been traveling across the country to support the SAVE Act.
Pictures provided to Fox News Digital show the vandalism that took place Tuesday night ahead of the tour bus’ planned stops in Tuscon and Scottsdale. The bus is wrapped in decals promoting the Tea Party and election integrity.
“ONLY CITIZENS VOTE” the bus reads in big bold letters.
HOSTILITY AGAINST CHURCHES A ‘GROWING TREND,’ AS STUDY FINDS HUNDREDS OF ATTACKS ON U.S. CHURCHES IN 2024
The tire of the Tea Party Patriots bus was slashed, and police responded to the scene Tuesday night. (Tea Party Patriots Action)
“This cowardly act is not just an attack on a vehicle, it’s an attack on the millions of Americans who believe in free speech, civic engagement, and secure elections,” Tea Party Patriots Action honorary chairperson, Jenny Beth Martin, told Fox News Digital in a statement.
“Tea Party Patriots Action will not be intimidated,” she continued. “Our tour continues as planned, and we will keep rallying Americans to support this necessary legislation.”
The tour, which had its first stop in Garden Grove, California, in mid-August, shows stops in 16 states. The tour’s finale will then be held in the nation’s capital, during which the group will deliver petition signatures to members of Congress in an effort to rally support for the SAVE Act.
Tea Party Patriots Action members filed a police report after the vandalism in Phoenix. (Tea Party Patriots Action)
The SAVE Act aims to mandate that potential voters provide proof-of-citizenship documents when registering to vote. The bill would prohibit states from processing national voter registration forms without certain proof-of-citizenship, such as a passport, birth certificate, government-issued driver’s licenses, or military identification card.
ALBUQUERQUE GOP HEADQUARTERS TARGETED IN ALLEGED ARSON: ‘DIRECT ASSAULT ON OUR VALUES’
The vandalism of the National Tea Party bus comes after a spate of other vandalism attempts targeting Republican entities and figures.
Within the last month, the district office of Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Penn., was vandalized with red spray paint that scribbled messages, like “Mental illness is not a crime,” and “GOP = racism, rape, child rape, cover up,” according to images shared by CBS News.
Meanwhile, earlier this year, several GOP headquarters across the country in multiple states, such as New York, Virginia and New Mexico, were reportedly hit as well.
Image shows New Mexico Republican Party headquarters in Albuquerque, which was targeted in an alleged arson in March. (New Mexico Republican Party)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Fearing a potential increase in violence following President Donald Trump’s move back into the White House this year, the head of the National Republican Congressional Committee, Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., told fellow Republican colleagues back in March to stop holding in-person town halls.
Tuesday’s vandalism also follows incidents of property damage and assault against federal buildings and immigration officials in Los Angeles amid the Trump administration’s deportation crackdown there in June.
Earlier this year, there was also a spate of violence against Tesla dealerships and Tesla cars during Elon Musk’s tenure working as a “special government employee” for Trump.