Chemical Bomb Tossed into Occupy Maine Encampment

[Hissyspit]

Source: The Portland Press Herald

Posted: 10:49 PM
Updated: 11:06 PM

Chemical bomb tossed into Occupy Maine encampment

By Dennis Hoey [e-mail]
Staff Writer

PORTLAND — Portland police are looking for the person who threw a chemical bomb at the Occupy Maine encampment in Portland during the early morning hours today.

Sgt. Glen McGary said police responded around 4 a.m. today to an explosion in Lincoln Park at Congress and Pearl streets.

Though no one was injured, McGary said the homemade bomb, which consisted of chemicals poured into a plastic Gatorade container could have caused serious injury.

Occupy Maine, which is protesting corporate greed, has erected about three dozen tents in the 2.5-acre park. McGary said the bomb was thrown into the camp’s kitchen, a tarped area where food is cooked and served.

Read more: http://www.pressherald.com/news/Chemical-bomb-tossed-into-Occupy-Maine-encampment.html

[shraby]

1. That's domestic terrorism..hope they treat it as such.

Someone bought those chemicals to make the bomb with, so they should be able to trace them.

[Enthusiast]

9. Right wing terrorism is patriotic.

[vets74]

15. Getting violence investigated-charged prosecuted-jailed is tough to make happen. Air&Space Museum?

The righties can't stand it that Occupy is hitting home with the Republican Base.

This is out of the Occupy Boston group --



That gets bigger positive response from self-identified conservative voters than from Democrats.

Southern voters, generally, have been smashed flat with the unemployment situation. Southerners might be about done with voting solely to make abortion illegal -- like that's gonna happen.

Bombing Maine ??? That's gonna make the world perfect to the righties. Sure thing.

Meanwhile the rightie incited riot at US Air & Space Museum in D.C. has yet to result in arrests. Howley bragged about participation at The American Spectator blog, including effective confession to entering a Federal property under false pretenses and aggravated trespass together with particiapation at causing the riot. Mike Stack charged a guard:



Seems possible that these clowns were trying to impress rightie congressmen, who have such as the $76,000-a-year to hand out that goes to 26-year old Seamus Kraft for playing "Director of Digital Strategy" for Darrell Issa (R-CA49).



Kraft is in the running for operating the sock puppet "Dan Wolfe" on twitter during the protect-Clarence-Thomas attacks on Anthony Weiner. For $76,000 he ought to run scores of sock puppets. A couple, anyway, at DU and at DailyKos.

He's a big hero for the unemployed/underemployed/no_skills fringe righties.

Cash In Krafty !!

[2pooped2pop]

12. I didn't see what kind of chemicals they used mentioned but

If we're talking a gatorade bomb, isn't it just baking soda, plus? And if so, it may mean kids are the culprit.

[stonecutter357]

22. get the money out of politics.

The shock wave can be extremely loud and hearing damage can occur even at substantial distances.
The blast can propel fragments of the container at very high speeds causing cuts and puncture wounds.
Dud bombs which fail to explode are a major safety problem. They cannot be left, yet cannot be safely approached. Unexploded bombs can be shot or otherwise ruptured from a safe distance. Injuries are common, with glass bottles in particular posing a risk of serious injury.wikipedia.

[2pooped2pop]

29. Yes. Yes. I agree they are dangerous

I'm just saying the article kind of made you think chemical? Mustard gas or what? Bottle bombs can be dangerous, yes, but not on the same level as a chemical bomb. Because of the total lack of any degree of difficulty, and ease to get components, I thought it could be a teenager.

[AtheistCrusader]

64. Everything is a chemical.

This could have been coke and mentos.

We'll see what happened. Probably prints on the remains of the bottle.

[2pooped2pop]

66. exactly. That's what I mean.

a coke and mentos "chemical bomb" should not be reported as such and is a whole different A pipe bomb, or a mol a tov cocktail have chemical components but are not described as such. I just think this article may have presented a lot more of a scarier situation than it might have been. I hope so.

[Marnie]

88. True but heaving a Gatoraide bottle with the chemical Gatoraide in it

is probably not likely to cause the possible "serious bodily harm" that the article quotes.

It could of course put out an eye if it hit just right but it looks like they are talking about something a tad more serious than that.

[AtheistCrusader]

89. The media always blows shit out of proportion.

I'm not saying I would want to hold whatever it was in my hand, but we'll see what info comes next. I'm guessing it might have been a serious scare, but probably less dangerous than they reported.

[TBF]

40. Nice try but no sale. nt

[Vanje]

72. Uh Yeah

Baking soda in a bottle is a national news story........Nothing to see here. Move along. Kids will be kids.

Welcome to DU.

[razorman]

30. Quite right. I suspect that calling it a "chemical bomb" is a bit of sensationalism

on the part of the media. I spoke this morning to a friend who lives in Portland. She said that she heard that the bottle was filled with urine. That's just a rumor, of course. I suppose that the truth will come out soon. Any time there is a big incident of any kind, the first reports are ALWAYS wrong. I usually wait 24-48 hours before paying real attention.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

35. Earlier it was described and an IED...

[Filthy Pazuzu]

37. If all they said was 'chemical bomb' it could mean anything.

Please tell me you are aware of how easy it easy to make bottle bombs with common materials.
Tracking the culprits down based on what they bought & where is impossible.
Do you really think someone buying a bottle of bleach at
small grocery with cash is going to be able to be tracked?

These types of weapons are extremely dangerous, because they are both volatile and totally unpredictable.
Even if it was a 'simple' pressure bomb using an acid & base, or dry ice,
it could still cause serious - even fatal - damage.
Just because something is simple does not mean it isn't dangerous.

There is NO reason for this to be taken lightly, no matter who used it against whom.
Anyone stupid & irresponsible enough to just make one of these,
let alone having it set off anywhere near people needs to be locked up.
They are clearly a danger to themselves & others.

If they aren't caught & prosecuted, do you really think they won't do it again?

[tpsbmam]

55. "explosive that lifted a large table off the ground" per Maine public broadcasting

http://www.mpbn.net/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3478/ItemId/18603/Default.aspx

That's certainly enough to cause injury to serious injury at a minimum to anyone had the "bomb" hit a person or next to a person.

Not sensationalism.

[razorman]

74. If that's true, then I guess "chemical bomb" would be accurate. Again, though, I never take first

reports at face value. Wait a day or two, until facts are sorted out.

[formercia]

57. Urine=DNA

Dishonorable mention for today's 'Dumbest Hammer in the Bag' Award.

[razorman]

73. If they bother testing it, and if the perp has a record to compare it.

[formercia]

77. Or if a suspect is arrested and it's used as evidence.

In all likelihood, the crime scene was trashed.

[razorman]

87. And if all that happens, we know that test results will come back in about 15 minutes.

Just watch C.S.I. Happens all the time.

[Posteritatis]

83. Betcha some authority or another will make a point of stressing that it isn't terrorism

After all, the culprit probably passes the melanin and voter registration tests.

[Demeter]

2. Disgusting

[WCGreen]

3. There is a great danger but there is also good news from this...

The line "...protesting corporate greed" means the message is good...

[ProfessorGAC]

4. Horrible Article

First of all, unless the device is nuclear, ALL bombs are chemical. If the intent of the builder was to make a chemical weapon, then it would be a small bomb which dispersed the real anti-personnel agent. But, that doesn't make it a chemical bomb.

I know the cops probably didn't release details of the device, but this is just a badly written piece and it makes no technical sense.

[oldhippydude]

5. that was my thought..

like vinegar and baking soda.. or mentos and soft drink?

[Scuba]

10. +1 Table salt? A clear mix of 2 parts hydrogen and 1 part oxygen? Dumb journalist. n/t

[pasto76]

23. It was likely an "MRE Bomb", using the chemical heater from an MRE

used to make them all the time during training. And before everyone got crazy about terrorists being in their backyard.

so the mystery chemical from the heater, water, and a bottle. The coke brand bottles used to work the best. Enough energy and volume expansion to take a 16 oz bottle and deform it to the volume of a _3 liter_ bottle. The best bang comes from when the bottle splits down the side (sometimes the cap just pops off). Quite a loud bang.

But the chemical does boil the water, which could hurt someone.

[Scuba]

24. So you don't know either.

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Scuba]

33. Yeah, I know. I just wasn't compelled to include...

...bomb building instructions in my post. Nor was I willing to engage in name calling.

[marmar]

25. Who cares about the "technical sense" of the article? There's a larger issue, n'est-ce pas?

nt

[Filthy Pazuzu]

39. 'Simple' does not mean 'Not Dangerous'

Thank you. It's nice to see someone thinking about the important things.

I see a lot of people getting caught up in semantics: "Everything is chemical"
Yes, we are aware of that. But since we know nothing about the makeup of the weapon used,
speculation is useless.

I see a lot of people dismissing primitive explosives: "Baking soda & vinegar" or "Mentos & diet cola"
These people are not thinking this through.
First off, if you've ever tried making one of these, or if you take the time out
to think about this for more than the 2 seconds it takes for you to hit 'REPLY',
you'd realize you must isolate the solid ingredient long enough for you to be able
to get a cap on, because just dumping it in there immediately creates such a massive
amount of gas, screwing the cap on is impossible. Then, they would also have to stay
isolated long enough for you to get the explosive where you want it to go off.
Suddenly, more technical aspects of craftsmanship creep into what was originally assume to be 'simple'.

But these facts aren't even what's most important.
Only one fact is truly important:
A FUCKING EXPLOSIVE WAS SET OFF IN AN OCCUPY CAMP.

Someone above mentioned 'domestic terrorism' & that is exactly what this is.
The right wing has a very long and colorful (mostly various shades of red) history
of domestic terrorism.

I guess that's why prefer the color red.

To bicker about what the explosive was made of or of what it should be called
should take a back seat to the more important point that
SOMEONE WAS TRYING TO KILL THEM.

[sulphurdunn]

60. Some kids stuck a bottle bomb

in a neighbors metal mailbox one night. The explosion woke me up. The mailbox was demolished. I found pieces of shrapnel clear across the street (about 80 ft.). Had someone been walking by that box when it went up that person would have been seriously injured or killed.

[zbdent]

67. 'Simple' does not mean 'Not Dangerous' - couldn't agree with you more ...

I remember hearing horror stories not long ago about a simple explosive at the bottom of a pile of nails ... gives plenty of veterans nightmares to this day ...

[JoeyT]

84. +1

There are a lot of simple bottle bombs that can do a ton of damage. Many also create flammable gases or toxic or irritating chemicals. The ones that don't can be used to broadcast toxic or noxious chemicals. Ignorance or lack of imagination on the part of commenters doesn't equal sensationalism in a news story.

I had to delete this comment a dozen times before I posted it because I kept wanting to give examples, and I imagine that would be frowned on.

[Courtesy Flush]

26. Thank you, Mr. Schrute. nt

[caseymoz]

45. I think by "chemical" he means incendiary. nt

[ProgressiveProfessor]

48. In this case it means bad reporting...

[caseymoz]

51. Yes it is. Bad word choice.But the first report from an incident is usually sloppy . . .

. . . and slapped together at 4 in the morning, I'm be happy if the story didn't just say "Boom!"

[ProgressiveProfessor]

47. Elsewhere I saw a report that it was just a bottle of urine

Facts about this incident will be hard to come by for a while.

Placing key areas in the center of the camps where things can not be lobbed in from passing cars would be a good start regardless

[PuffedMica]

6. Probably a couple of knuckle dragging TeaBaggers

I would treat it as a group of rightards making a dry run to see if they can pull off the real thing later.

[goforit]

7. Yep, just to create more Fox terror.

[GliderGuider]

8. More evidence that the movement is now at the "then they fight you" stage

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” ~Mahatma Gandhi

[sweetapogee]

11. wow

wow wow wow

[2pooped2pop]

13. someone on that site said

that many right wing sites are threatening violence to the OWS camps. I think we should try to stomach the crap and join their discussion groups, or just read them, and report any threats to homeland security.

[vets74]

16. Report to the F.B.I. local field offices.

DHS, not so much. The Bureau runs this problem. When they get around to it.

[2pooped2pop]

17. yes, FBI but maybe we people not at the occupation

should form some kind of group to seek them out to help protect the protesters. Report all that we find. Form a keyboard committee just for that. Some people here frequent a right wing site or two for the jollies. They would be our first responders since they already can stomach the sites.

[Filthy Pazuzu]

41. A Keyboard Committee devoted to espionage? I LIKE that!

That's a damn fine idea you have there.
I'll admit the right-wing seems to be better at infiltrating the left, than the left does against right.
Also, I don't think Occupiers will be attacked by lefties with anything other than words.
Good idea. I'm gonna think on this today.

[socialist_n_TN]

50. It's called a worker's self defense militia and yes

it needs to be formed. But not just to "help" the FBI. They won't "help" us.

This is a fascist type move and we need self defense against this type of Brown Shirt attack. They're almost all cowards. If they KNOW somebody will fight back if they attack, they WILL back down and, usually, not even try. It's time for it. This is just a warning shot.

[toddwv]

32. So they FBI will have to take time out of investigating the OWS to investigating potential violence

AGAINST OWS... the FBI is not going to like that...

[zbdent]

68. with plenty of screen captures ...

hey, if the FBI really was interested in investigating homegrown terrorism, they might even break down and investigate RW terrorists ... if there's enough pressure on them ...

[Taverner]

27. [phone]

[tpsbmam]

56. Welcome to DU, 2p2p, excellent idea! nt

[Vinca]

14. I'm sure the wingnut governor has the dim witted all stirred up.

This should be treated as terrorism not pranksterism.

[2pooped2pop]

19. Fox news and MSM should be sued

for telling these idiots lies that get them to do their violence for them. Billo comes out clean when he gets "Joe, I wish I was a plumber man" to strike out at us. What does Billo care if Joe does time, loses his job and family to do his bidding? He doesn't. In fact, I think it is their plan.

[jpak]

18. Douchebaggers done it

yup

[City Lights]

20. Terrorism, plain and simple.

Hope they catch the bagger.

[chelsea0011]

21. "threw" as into an unsuspecting group is the operative word here.

It matters not what the "chemical bomb" was made of. It is one thing to be sitting around with a group of friends and drop a Menthos into some soda where everyone is expecting a reaction. It is entirely something else when a bottle of unknown origin and contents is tossed into a crowd.

[AngryAmish]

28. Now you see the violence inherent in the system

[paparush]

34. Right Wing Violence

Angry Lefties march, carry signs, chant slogans.

Angry Righties carry guns, blow up buildings, shoot people in the head, throw chemical bombs into peaceful demonstrations.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

36. Prior thread on this yesterday

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2174712

[jimlup]

38. Blatant Domestic Terrorism! But I wouldn't even know about it if CNN were my only news source

The mainstream media is going to miss any story on OWS because they are totally complicit and in bed with the banker elite plutocracy.

This pisses me off - both the attack and media's reporting of it.

[Ian David]

42. Chemical bomb tossed into Occupy Maine encampment

Source: The Portland Press Herald

PORTLAND — Portland police are looking for the person who threw a chemical bomb at the Occupy Maine encampment in Portland during the early morning hours on Sunday.

Sgt. Glen McGary said police responded around 4 a.m. Sunday to an explosion in Lincoln Park at Congress and Pearl streets.

Though no one was injured, McGary said the homemade bomb, which consisted of chemicals poured into a plastic Gatorade container could have caused serious injury.

Occupy Maine, which is protesting corporate greed, has erected about three dozen tents in the 2.5-acre park. McGary said the bomb was thrown into the camp’s kitchen, a tarped area where food is cooked and served.



Read more: http://www.pressherald.com/news/Chemical-bomb-tossed-into-Occupy-Maine-encampment.html

---

BREAKING: Chemical Bomb Detonated At Occupy Maine Camp

At approximately 4 AM Monday morning, a small chemical bomb was thrown into the kitchen area of Occupy Maine encampment located in Lincoln Park in the city of Portland. Sgt. Glen McGary has stated that the device was a homemade bomb consisting of several chemicals mixed into a Gatorade bottle. There are few details and no suspects as yet.

There were no casualiteis but Sgt. McGary said the explosion could have caused serious injury.

Chemical bombs do not a have a separate detonation mechanism but rather rely on the build up of gas pressure inside the sealed bottle after the chemicals are mixed. Once the pressure ruptures the container the chemicals are dispersed. The fact that the kitchen was targeted suggests an attempt at sabotage. This is pure speculation until further information is released.

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2011/10/24/breaking-chemical-bomb-detonated-at-occupy-maine-camp/

More TeaTerror:

Http://tinyurl.com/TeaTerror
Http://tinyurl.com/TeaTerror2

The Outsiders (The Rise of 'Isolated Incidents' of Right-Wing Violence)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x606317

[ProgressiveProfessor]

43. Multiple similar threads. 2nd one in LBN today

[Ian David]

44. Must be from someone I have on ignore. n/t

[Hissyspit]

70. I'M on your ignore list?

:wow:
:)

[tropicanarose]

46. I am glad that no one was hurt. This is truly disturbing.

[caseymoz]

49. The Occupy movement is entering a new, critical stage.

Here comes the right-wing volunteer push back. Where public sentiment goes and whether the movement thrives or dies depends on how Occupy responds to this, and it will go on. If the RW can't incite the left into its own volunteer violence, the RW militancy will weaken. Its people will no longer respond to left ideology as a physical threat. The adrenaline flow lessens. Then, parts of its memberships might actually join the Occupy movement.

And then there's the effect of sympathy on public opinion.

Problem is, there's no telling how long that will take.

[socialist_n_TN]

52. The public in this country today will NOT support a

movement that doesn't defend itself. We need self defense committees against this type of fascist behavior. Otherwise OWS will be seen as another wimpy, liberal group of effete pacifists.

In addition, just the PRESENCE of a self defense group at Occupy rallies will head off MOST of these cowardly attacks. Because they ARE cowards. If they think somebody might fight back in most cases they won't even try this shit.

[slackmaster]

53. You're suggesting organizing a piece of the unorganized militia, which is the right of the people

;-)

[socialist_n_TN]

71. Yep, it is.........

nm

[NOLALady]

62. MLK's people did not defend themselves.

If they would have, I do not believe the Civil Rights bill would have been passed.

By not fighting back, they won.

[socialist_n_TN]

69. That was a different time when the capitalists

were trying to compete with an alternate system. That system is no longer in existance. IOW, they don't have to pretend anymore.

And I was more of a supporter of Malcolm X and the Panthers than MLK. Although, right before the capitalists assassinated him he was starting to "get it" as far as the class structure in this country goes.

[NOLALady]

82. Me too.

"I was more of a supporter of Malcolm X and the Panthers than MLK."

I even went to a few Panther meetings.

[socialist_n_TN]

91. That's cool..........

Being a southern boy just coming into political thought in the early 60s during my early teens, I couldn't see the problem that all the other white boys had with Malcolm. I remember thinking, "The guy said he owned a gun and if somebody came after him or his family, he'd use it to defend himself. What the HELL is wrong with that? I hear that all the time, all around me. Just because he's black he can't have the same feelings and ideas?"

I still think that MLK and Gandhi would have had more trouble with the power structure of today than they had when they were alive though. Capitalist imperialism was actually on it's BEST behavior (believe it or not) back then. That doesn't mean I believe in starting shit, but I DO believe in self defense for myself, others, and for my class.

The worker's militia that I'm proposing would be strictly for self defense only.

[caseymoz]

93. Again, I'm not talking about self-defense at the Occupy sites

But you admit that Martin Luther King succeeded. Did the Weatherman, the SLA, the Black Panthers or even Malcolm X succeed? Can you site any successes they had in their careers?

I know it's a different time, and the capitalists don't have to pretend. So, why aren't the lower and middle being slaughtered directly now? It would seem the thing to do. Kill us, take our assets. Why haven't they?

Human psychology still applies to the wealthy, as well as to us, Cold War or not.

[2pooped2pop]

65. I do think they have a security team

But I don't think they are right now ready to make themselves look like an armed militia. At this time it's all about peaceful right to protest. If they came out with an armed presence the mainstream media would try to paint them as the violent ones. I hear the marines are planning to occupy in the winter and that alone may give disrupter's pause.

[socialist_n_TN]

81. Well that's a start anyway

I wonder if the security team is focused on internal threats (provocateurs) or external (Brown Shirts). Probably the former for now. But that could change.

[caseymoz]

92. You mean like the SLA, Weathermen, and Black Panthers of the 60s?

Yeah, they really sold the movement to Americans and really earned conservative respect for the manly way they defended themselves. Um, no, they didn't and they were utter, abject failures. The violent militancy in the '60s turned Americans away from the left, inflamed the conservative movement and landed us where we are today.

I'm not talking about self-defense at the Occupy sites. I'm talking about retaliations, mostly, and the kind of militancy that leads to symbolic bombings, acts of terrorism, and yes, attacks on the police at the sites, even for retaliation.

The left can't win using the rights tactics, because conservatives respond to what's threatening, and they become more entrenched and militant the more they feel threatened. And if you think they'll respect the Occupy movement more if it becomes violent, I'll simply refer you to the groups listed above, who conservatives still do not respect, and in fact, malign as criminals.

Added with edit: And yes, the counter-example to my list is Martin Luther King. Even the conservatives at least pretend to respect him now. That's more than could be said for Bobby Seals, Eldridge Cleaver, Donald DeFreze (of the SLA).

[NOLALady]

94. IIRC,

MLK was hated as much as Malcolm and the Panthers by Conservatives. The violent and the non violent were equally vilified.

[caseymoz]

95. But one side was vindicated and accomplished something . . .

. . . the other side is still vilified and did not, and both sides would have agreed that it's the latter that counted.

Remember Glen Beck holding his rally on MLK's birthday on the steps of the Lincoln Monument? He was trying was trying to soak up some of the prestige and status of MLK had and he couldn't do it. Conservatives will claim now that their ideology was all for King. Whether they mean it or not, or whether they're insane, that's a great victory when your enemies don't dare renounce you consciously or directly but have to resort to subterfuge or deceive themselves about it.

Don't expect that for Malcolm X, ever.

[avaistheone1]

54. An act of domestic terrorism, plain and simple.

What evil bastards! :grr:



It will be interesting to see if the FBI or DHS are capable of doing anything effective at all to catch the perpetrators.

[defendandprotect]

61. Evidently, WE need to point that out to authorities -- !!! YIKES!!

GOPs/"pro-life" violence was financed by white militia groups --

and volunteers for demonstrators outside of clinics came from methadone

clinics -- these people were paid. Even with the GOP/"pro-life" murder

we never heard these very violent people described as "domestic terrorists" --




:hi:

[Recursion]

80. Or an agent provocateur. Our side has been known to have those too (nt)

[Yon_Yonson]

58. Lets see how the Portland police handle this act of domestic terrorism ... I bet NOT

... anybody see the homeland security goons?

[defendandprotect]

59. From beginning to end, what the RW is really about is controlling thru violence -- !!

[SoapBox]

63. Yup...domestic terrorism.

BUT...since it was against the 99%, it will get swept under the rug.

[greiner3]

75. "plastic Gatorade container;"

Shouldn't be too difficult to track down the perps as a Gatorade bottle could mean this guy was a jock.

[lunatica]

76. Well in Idiocracy they watered plants with gatoriade 'cause it has electolites.

[Johnny2X2X]

78. Tea Party?

The event itself is not a big deal. More like a prank than anything IMO. It could have been drano and tinfoil which makes a wicked loud noise maker. That being said, could you imagine if this would have happened to Tea Partiers? This would have led the national news for weeks and there would be a nation wide manhunt to track down the terra ists.

[JohnWxy]

79. The Corporate Feudalism crowd always has to resort to violence since their position has no merits

based on any rational analysis. Fascists will always be fascists.


recommended.

[WillyT]

85. K & R !!!

:mad:

:kick:

[No Elephants]

86. Odd. Graffiti on banks in Boston today or yesterday. People trying to make the movement look bad?

[workinclasszero]

90. Here comes the reich wing push back

They are being egged on 24/7 by hate radio, fox, murdock, wall street the heart of darkness, the 1%

They just need non thinking useful idiots and they have legions of them. Brownshirt teabaggers will do their dirty work.

I think every OWS camp needs a security operation around the clock. Make sure everyone on it has some type of camera/video.

Shine a light on these cockroaches, put it on the internet so the whole world sees what goes down in the land of the free!