Police arrest truck full of masked Patriot Front militants near Idaho city's Pride festival

Photo: Twitter via KyleSimchuk/KREM 2

Police said a truck full of masked Patriot Front extremists was arrested near an Idaho city's Pride in the Park celebration.

KREM2 reports that law officers stopped a U-haul vehicle in downtown Coeur d'Alene on Saturday afternoon and arrested 31 individuals wearing the same attire.

The men inside the U-haul wore khakis, blue shirts, beige caps, and white face coverings. They were handcuffed with zip ties, placed in police vans, and removed from the scene.

During a traffic stop, the men reportedly possessed shields, shin guards, riot gear, and a smoke grenade.

Saturday's press conference was held by local police chief Lee White, who stated, "They came downtown to riot."

The group members were charged with conspiracy to riot, a misdemeanor, and police allege they had an "operations plan."

The police were alerted by a "concerned citizen" who witnessed the guys "loading into the truck like a small army" at a motel and not by an informant within the gang.

The men had Patriot Front logos on their clothing and headgear, according to the police chief. According to the investigators, the Patriot Front members came from all over the country and were being booked.

According to authorities, those arrested were from Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Colorado, South Dakota, Illinois, Wyoming, and Virginia, among other states.

Sheriff Bob Norris of Kootenai County told the Coeur d'Alene Press, "It appears they did not come to engage in peaceful activities."

Social media videos depict police in tactical gear ordering males to kneel with their hands behind their backs.

The Anti-Defamation League identifies Patriot Front as a white supremacist organization.

According to the police, groups at the Pride celebration carried long weapons, handguns, and bear spray.

Publish : 2022-06-12 07:02:00

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