Firebombing of GOP headquarters in North Carolina county called 'attack on our democracy

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C., Oct. 16 (UPI) -- The office of a county Republican Party was vandalized in "an attack on our democracy," according to North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory.

Hillsborough police said a bottle of flammable liquid was thrown through the front window of the office in Orange County, which is 38 miles northwest of Raleigh, overnight Saturday. The county is home to the University of North Carolina.

Police said the words, "Nazi Republicans get out of town or else" were spray painted on the side of an adjacent building, Balloons Above Orange.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump weighed in on Twitter, blaming "Animals representing Hillary Clinton and Dems in North Carolina."'

Clinton's campaign tweeted, "The attack on the Orange County HQ @NCGOP office is horrific and unacceptable. Very grateful that everyone is safe."

Dallas Woodhouse, executive director of state GOP, described the bottle as a Molotov cocktail that bore the words "Freedom spoken here" and called the incident "political terrorism."

The flammable substance burned some furniture and damaged the building's interior, police said.

The damage was discovered Sunday by another business owner.

"The firebombing of a local political headquarters in Orange County is clearly an attack on our democracy," McCrory said in a statement. "Violence has no place in our society – but especially in our elections. ... I will use every resource as governor to assist local authorities in this investigation."

Hillsborough Mayor Tom Stevens said law enforcement officials are investigating the incident.

"This highly disturbing act goes far beyond vandalizing property; it willfully threatens our community's safety via fire, and its hateful message undermines decency, respect and integrity in civic participation. I believe I speak for the overwhelming majority of people who make Hillsborough their home. Acts like this have no place in our community."

Democrats and independents outnumber Republicans 5-1 in the county, according to the Charlotte Observer.