Ice Cube has publicly addressed an attack that saw a charter bus used by his crew firebombed in Portland, Oregon, during a stop on his “Truth to Power” tour last week, per newsweek.com.
Initial reports suggested the bus may have been mistakenly targeted by protestors who believed the vehicle belonged to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement because of its prominent “ICE” lettering. The incident, which caused significant exterior damage but resulted in no injuries, has raised concerns about protest violence and mistaken identity amid a polarised social climate.
The bus, linked to the artiste whose real name is O’Shea Jackson Sr., was set on fire in downtown Portland on September 22. Portland Fire & Rescue confirmed they extinguished a blaze on the front passenger tire of the vehicle. No musical equipment was damaged.
Taking to X on Saturday, Ice Cube clarified details about the incident for his 5.7 million followers.
“Wasn’t my bus. It was a crew bus. Parked in front of the hotel. Everybody was upstairs sleeping. Nobody hurt. No equipment damaged,” he wrote. He added, “A coward set fire to the bus. My bus was actually in Oakland getting serviced.”
In a separate statement sent to Newsweek via his public relations firm, TreMedia, Ice Cube emphasised resilience, stating, “I’m not taking this incident as a personal attack. A coward like that would burn anybody’s property that was out there at the time.”
The 56-year-old artiste also pushed back against critics on X who suggested he was downplaying the event, asserting he was merely “stating the facts.” He also debunked a photo circulated by a user showing a bus with “Cube” visible on the exterior, clarifying, “This is not on my bus anymore. This is from 2018.”
Portland Police are actively investigating the attack, focusing efforts on identifying suspects through security footage and witness statements.
Despite the incident, Ice Cube’s “Truth to Power” tour is expected to continue. His next performance is scheduled for Tuesday in Glendale, Arizona.
