Thirty-one members of the white supremacist group Patriot Front were arrested near an Idaho pride event after they were found packed into the back of a U-Haul truck with riot gear. Local authorities said that the men were en route to riot downtown.
Patriot Front is described by the Southern Poverty Law Center as “a white nationalist hate group.” It was formed after the deadly “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017, which was a white supremacist rally, including groups that had identified members of the alt-right, neo-Confederates, neo-fascists, white nationalists, neo-Nazis, Klansmen, and other right-wing militias.
Patriot Front is proudly white nationalist. Their manifesto calls for the formation of a white ethnostate in the United States.
The 31 men were standing inside of the U-Haul wearing khaki pants, navy blue shirts, and beige hats, also covering their faces with white balaclavas. They wore arm patches and logos on their hats that identified them as Patriot Front members. The Coeur d’Alene police stopped the truck and began arresting them on the side of the road.
All of the men were charged with conspiracy to riot, which is a misdemeanor. Authorities found that the group was planning to riot in several areas downtown. Riot gear, a smoke grenade, shin guards, and shields were found inside the van.
The arrested men came from at least 11 states, including Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming. Only one was from Idaho itself. The truck was stopped near where the North Idaho Pride Alliance was holding the Pride in the Park event.
Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said it appeared the men did not come to the area to engage in peaceful events. The Southern Poverty Law Center said that Patriot Front focuses on theatrical rhetoric and actions that can be easily distributed as propaganda.
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