A former freelance journalist covering political extremism on the streets of Portland has been accused of vandalizing two Jewish temples and setting fire to a mosque.
Mike Bevins, 34, is charged with one count of first-degree arson and three counts of first-degree criminal mischief related to what police describe as a weekly series of vandal temples. He is accused of breaking a window at the Shir Tikva congregation in Northeast Portland on April 30, throwing a stone out of a window and scratching anti-Semitic graffiti at the Beth Israel congregation in Northwest Portland on May 2 and 4, and setting fire to a Muslim community center in Port 3.
Police have linked attacks on prayer houses in recent days after seeing footage of a masked hooded man pouring an accelerator on a mosque building and lighting a fire. Police say Bevins entered KPTV Fox 12 in Beaverton this week and asked to speak to a reporter.
Until recently, Beavins worked in the Nurse Resource Management Department at the University of Oregon Health and Science and was a freelance reporter for retail outlets, including Willamette Week and Eugene Weekly, reflecting the polarization and violence on city streets since the election of former President Donald Trump. He reports mostly on clashes between anti-fascists and their opponents, such as the Proud Boys. Bivins sells photos and videos of street conflicts to national and local media.
His latest story is filed for WW was in 2019. WW reviews his work.
Many people who talked to WW said Bevins’ behavior and social media posts became erratic during the pandemic. He had made several Twitter posts in April, condemning the immigrants.
In 2021, he filed a notice of tort against the Federal Security Service after being hit by ammunition during a protest.
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