Suspect Arrested in Pro-Palestinian Arson Attacks on Berkeley Campus
Earlier this month, someone set a police SUV on fire at UC Berkeley.
🔻Around 4am on June 1 2024, an incendiary device was placed below a UC Berkeley police vehicle parked in front of UCPD station. The device was lit underneath the back left wheel of a police SUV, placed between the tire and underside of fuel tank. There were too many people… pic.twitter.com/aRsOqd6dbh
— The Resistance (@TopGResistance) June 3, 2024
An anonymous statement taking credit was posted on a site called Abolition Media. It reads in part:
This act was done in retaliation against UCPD, for their attack on students yesterday on a different campus and to retaliate against the University of California for its support for the zionist israel settler colony. More specifically – this attempt to torch a police car in front of the university was in solidarity with our Palestinian siblings assaulted by the zionist state in Rafah. It came from a place of love for Palestine, and love for revolution and liberation of all oppressed people…
Blessed is the flame that burns down the settler-plantation.
Blessed are the rockets that will free thousands of prisoners held captive by the zionist settler entity and US colonizer police state.
May the spirit of Revolutionary Anti-colonialism unearth the truth from beneath these occupied lands.
Our heart will forever be tied to the fate of Rafah
Knife to the throat of zionism
Death to amerikkka
Glory to the martyrs
Last week, there was another arson attack at a building on campus.
Please note this message may contain information that some may find upsetting.
On 6/13/24 at 1201 hours, UCPD received a report of an arson outside Koshland Hall. The case is under investigation. https://t.co/uJXJrrrMPy
— UC Police, Berkeley (@UCPD_Cal) June 13, 2024
And once again, someone left a note taking credit, this time on a different site.
UCLA STUDENTS WERE ATTACKED LAST NIGHT SO WE RETALIATED WITH A FIREBOMB ON UCB CAMPUS
NOT SURE WHAT BUILDING IT EVEN WAS. HONESTLY DONT REALLY CARE. EVERY SINGLE BUILDING ON THE UC BERKELEY CAMPUS DESERVES TO BE INCINERATED FOLLOWING THE UC SYSTEM’S TREATMENT OF STUDENT PROTESTORS. LAST NIGHT THEY ATTACKED A YOUNG WOMAN STUDENT WHO WAS SPEAKING HER MIND ON A MEGAPHONE. SO WE UNLOADED A FIREBOMB ON THE SIDE OF A CAMPUS BUILDING. THE FLAME WAS BIG AND SPREAD ACROSS THE TREES AND BUSHES ON THE SIDE OF A BUILDING.
LONG LIVE THE STUDENT INTIFADA FOR PALESTINE LIBERATION
STOP THE GENOCIDE NOW
UC SYSTEM MUST DIVEST FROM ISRAEL OR FACE OUR WRATH OF REVENGE
BLESSED IS THE FLAME
Over the weekend there was also a fire at a construction site on campus.
Please note this message may contain information that some may find upsetting.
On 6/16/24 at 1:37pm, a fire was reported at the Dwinelle Annex Construction Site. Subsequent investigation revealed that it was arson. https://t.co/V9p5Jo2qlV
— UC Police, Berkeley (@UCPD_Cal) June 17, 2024
The claim of responsibility ties all of the arson attacks to the same person or group.
at one p.m. this a f t e r n o o n, we torched large portions of a construction site in the middle of u.c. berkeley campus. OPERATION CAMPS FLOOD on u.c.b. kkkampus has began with:
– successful looting of a u.c.b supply building of thousands of dollars,
– the fire bombing of a u.c.b cop car,
– the experimental burning of dry grass hills on the interior of campus
– the torching of a building on the perimeter of the campus
and now
– the arson of a construction site (mostly construction materials, wood pallets, and massive dry bush area…
glory to the martyrs
blessed is the flame
Last night, a suspect in all of these crimes was arrested.
On Monday evening, Cal Fire announced the arrest of 34-year-old Casey Robert Goonan “in connection with the firebombing attack of a UC Berkeley Police Department vehicle and three other arson attacks on UC Berkeley campus during the month of June.”
Goonan was arrested Monday “following a comprehensive investigation” by Cal Fire’s Office of the State Fire Marshal Arson and Bomb Unit, UC Berkeley police, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives…
Goonan is now facing multiple felony charges, authorities said, including “the possession and use of destructive devices and multiple counts of arson.”
According to Andy Ngo, Casey Goonan was arrested last year for vandalism and resisting arrest. At the time he was described as a 33-year-old with a Ph.D in African Studies from Northwestern.
At the feminist convention @WDI_USA in San Francisco over the weekend, the event was surrounded & attacked by #Trantifa, #Antifa & far-left extremists accusing the women of fascist transphobia.
Casey Goonan, a 33-year-old white male from Oakland, was arrested & charged with… https://t.co/oddvSTv9Y0 pic.twitter.com/VTpXSHPpjP
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) September 19, 2023
This is apparently video of that earlier arrest:
High res takedown of Casey Goonan the sign vandal, taken from the pedestrian bridge. pic.twitter.com/W3dVZheUbH
— Σ𝕏ulansic 🦎 (@TTExulansic) September 23, 2023
Also here he’s being held by two cops in the background:
🚨NEW VIDEO of Casey Goonan, the hammer-wielding gender activist who showed up to the @WDI_USA women’s sex-based rights event in downtown SF, being arrested by police while other gender activists march toward them chanting “fuck the police!” pic.twitter.com/cjUZtc6Y48
— Colin Wright (@SwipeWright) September 23, 2023
Andy Ngo notes that some leftists are rallying support for Goonan, whether or not he is guilty.
Far-left extremists are praising the arson terrorist suspect and the attacks that occurred at @UCBerkeley. One violent extremist group on X is preparing a fundraiser to try to pay the bail for Casey Goonan. He is being held on a $1 million bail. pic.twitter.com/CXY3a2BW6X
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) June 18, 2024
So far, this is the only local news report on the arrest.
Read the full article here