This was unexpected.
On Saturday (June 11), 31 masked men were arrested near an Idaho pride event and found packed inside the back of a U-Haul Truck.
The men are believed to be linked to a White nationalist group, Patriot Front.
Police in Couer d’Alene confirmed the arrest in a press briefing, revealing that men from several states were found inside a U-Haul truck on Saturday afternoon a few blocks away from the pride event.
According to police, the men wore khakis, navy blue shirts, and beige hats and covered their faces with white balaclavas. The police also indicated some of the men wore patches associated with the Patriot Front.
As part of their attire, the men carried homemade riot shields and some protective gear, according to reports by KTVB.
Videos emerged of the arrest, which showed the men kneeling on the grass surrounded by dozens of police with their hands zip-tied behind their backs and the phrase “Reclaim America” on the back of one shirt, with another having the words “Conquerors Not Thieves” emblazoned on the back.
Police then removed their masks, hats, and sunglasses, before being escorted to a police van.
The 31 men were charged with conspiracy to riot, with Coeur d’Alene Police Chief stating, “They came to riot downtown,” adding that the police were alerted to this effort by a civilian tip-off and not a law enforcement informant, as had been claimed on social media following the arrest.
