Police found riot gear, one smoke grenade, shin guards and shields inside the van after pulling it over near a park where the North Idaho Pride Alliance was holding a Pride in the Park event.
The six-hour Pride event went on as scheduled, including booths, food, live music, a drag show and a march of more than 50 people, the Idaho Statesman reported.He said Patriot Front did not have a reputation for violence and that the case could be a First Amendment issue.
Mr Lewis said the group's tactics involves identifying local grievances to exploit, organising on platforms like the messaging app Telegram and ultimately showing up to events marching in neat columns, in blue- or white-collared-shirt uniforms, in a display of strength.Though Pride celebrations have long been picketed by counter-protesters citing religious objections, they have not historically been a major focus for armed extremist groups.
Mr Lewis said anti-LGBTQ rhetoric has increasingly become a potent rallying cry in the far-right online ecosystem. The arrests come amid a surge of charged rhetoric around LGBTQ issues and a wave of state legislation aimed at transgender youth, said John McCrostie, the first openly gay man elected to the Idaho legislature."Whenever we are confronted with attacks of hate, we must respond with the message from the community that we embrace all people with all of our differences," Mr McCrostie said in a text message.
Sunday also marked six years since the mass shooting that killed 49 people at the Orlando LGBTQ club Pulse, said Troy Williams of Equality Utah in Salt Lake City.
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