June 13, 2022
By: Matthew Burkhead
Thirty-one people linked to the white nationalist group were arrested near a Pride event in Idaho on Saturday in Coeur d’Alene Police, according to police.
The affiliated white nationalist group Patriot Front was booked on suspicion of riot, according to Coeur d’Alene Police Chief Lee White who made a statement at a news conference. Thomas Ryan Rousseau who has the same name as Patriot Front’s Dallas-based founder was among the group in custody.
In recent days, White said police were made aware that a number of groups planned to storm Pride in the Park, an annual event highlighting the civil rights struggles of LGBTQ+ communities.
There was a report that tipped the police off about a U-Haul full of 20 people dressed similarly, wearing masks, had shields, and “looked like a little,” the chief said, quoting the caller who reported the suspicious activity.
Roughly ten minutes after the U-Haul report, police stopped the vehicle and 31 people were arrested.
Suspects resided in multiple states, including Texas, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, South Dakota, Illinois, Arkansas, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, and Virginia, he said.
"They came to riot," White said.
Without the citizen’s report about the U-Haul, the consequences could have been a lot more severe than what they were now.
The suspects, he stressed, appeared to have the necessary equipment for a disruption. "I don't think this [arrest operation] would have been as successful," White said.
Among the equipment found were a smoke grenade, several firearms, bear mace, and edged weapons.
Supporters on Facebook were warned on Saturday to “make sure to stay aware of your surroundings,” by the organizer of Pride in the Park, the North Pride Alliance.
It also thanked the community for a successful 2022 season.
