In Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, police officers arrested 31 people on June 11 who are believed to be affiliated with the white nationalist group Patriot Front after they were seen gathering near a Pride parade, CNN reported.
The FBI is assisting local police in its investigation, according to FBI Public Affairs Specialist Sandra Yi Barker. Barker said Coeur d’Alene police are the lead law enforcement agency investigating the situation.
The 31 individuals were arrested for conspiracy to riot, which is a misdemeanor, Coeur d’Alene Police Chief Lee White said, adding the suspects came from at least 11 states.
The Bonner County Bee noted several weeks ago that the Panhandle Patriots and the North Idaho Pride Alliance were slated to hold events on June 11 at Coeur d’Alene City Park. The Panhandle Patriots said, in part, “Our community came together, peacefully, to take a stand against left-wing extremism because of the Christian values we hold dear to us here in North Idaho. … As Christians, parents, and members of one of the most conservative communities in the nation, we believe that our community needs to take a stand against this LGBT grooming agenda because that is not who we are as Idahoans.” The Pride Alliance responded, in part, that the group “will not be intimidated or deterred from organizing community events [such as Pride in the Park]. … Our leadership strongly encourages the public NOT to engage with protestors they may encounter outside events or online.”