Portland, OR – Michael Bivins, 37-years-old, was sentenced to 5 years in prison and 5 years of supervised probation for a four-day crime spree in which he vandalized two synagogues, a black-owned business, and attempted to set a mosque on fire. The jury found Bivins committed these crimes because of his perception of the race and religion of the members and owners. DDA Quinn Zemel prosecuted this case for the state.
Bivins is convicted of 11 charges including:
Arson I, 5 counts of Criminal Mischief I, and 5 counts of Bias Crime II.
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office would like to thank the Portland Police Bureau, specifically Detective Meredith Hopper, for their work on this case.
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office would also like to thank Victim Advocate Nang Dunn for their work assisting the many victims in this case.
After sentencing DA Nathan Vasquez said, “This sentence sends a clear message that acts of hate and violence will not be tolerated in our community. Setting fire and damaging property out of prejudice is not only destructive, it is an attack on the safety and dignity of the people targeted. We will continue to hold individuals accountable who commit bias-motivated crimes and work to ensure that every member of our community can live free from fear and intimidation.”
THE FACTS:
On May 1, 2022, Congregation Shir Tikvah staff arrived on site to find a large plate glass window had been smashed. There is video footage of Bivins hitting the window with his shoulder. The same day, police responded to a report of a broken window at Everybody Eats PDX, a black-owned business.
On May 1, 2022, Bivins also vandalized the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue. Bivins used yellow spray paint to graffiti the words “Die Juden” on the side of the building.
On May 3, 2022, Bivins started a fire at the Muslim Community Center of Portland. Surveillance footage shows Bivins pouring a clear liquid from a jar along the building’s wall, lighting a book of matches on fire and throwing the lit matchbook onto the liquid. Bivins walks away, but returns to the fire, then soaking a piece of cloth in the liquid and adding it to the fire. The fire burned for about a minute, but due to the fire-resistant material of the building, it was ultimately extinguished. The same night, Bivins threw a rock through a window at the school connected to Congregation Beth Israel.
On May 4, 2022, Bivins went to the Fox News station in Beaverton and demanded to speak to a reporter. He told the reporter that he was the perpetrator of the vandalism and went on an anti-Semetic rant. He said he would return to the station on May 6. The reporter contacted the Portland Police Bureau. Police were waiting at the station on May 6 and took Bivins into custody.
Portland, OR – Michael Bivins, 37-years-old, was sentenced to 5 years in prison and 5 years of supervised probation for a four-day crime spree in which he vandalized two synagogues, a black-owned business, and attempted to set a mosque on fire. The jury found Bivins committed these crimes because of his perception of the race and religion of the members and owners. DDA Quinn Zemel prosecuted this case for the state.
Bivins is convicted of 11 charges including:
Arson I, 5 counts of Criminal Mischief I, and 5 counts of Bias Crime II.
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office would like to thank the Portland Police Bureau, specifically Detective Meredith Hopper, for their work on this case.
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office would also like to thank Victim Advocate Nang Dunn for their work assisting the many victims in this case.
After sentencing DA Nathan Vasquez said, “This sentence sends a clear message that acts of hate and violence will not be tolerated in our community. Setting fire and damaging property out of prejudice is not only destructive, it is an attack on the safety and dignity of the people targeted. We will continue to hold individuals accountable who commit bias-motivated crimes and work to ensure that every member of our community can live free from fear and intimidation.”
THE FACTS:
On May 1, 2022, Congregation Shir Tikvah staff arrived on site to find a large plate glass window had been smashed. There is video footage of Bivins hitting the window with his shoulder. The same day, police responded to a report of a broken window at Everybody Eats PDX, a black-owned business.
On May 1, 2022, Bivins also vandalized the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue. Bivins used yellow spray paint to graffiti the words “Die Juden” on the side of the building.
On May 3, 2022, Bivins started a fire at the Muslim Community Center of Portland. Surveillance footage shows Bivins pouring a clear liquid from a jar along the building’s wall, lighting a book of matches on fire and throwing the lit matchbook onto the liquid. Bivins walks away, but returns to the fire, then soaking a piece of cloth in the liquid and adding it to the fire. The fire burned for about a minute, but due to the fire-resistant material of the building, it was ultimately extinguished. The same night, Bivins threw a rock through a window at the school connected to Congregation Beth Israel.
On May 4, 2022, Bivins went to the Fox News station in Beaverton and demanded to speak to a reporter. He told the reporter that he was the perpetrator of the vandalism and went on an anti-Semetic rant. He said he would return to the station on May 6. The reporter contacted the Portland Police Bureau. Police were waiting at the station on May 6 and took Bivins into custody.