The masked men were planning to riot in several areas of Coeur d'Alene — the largest city in northern Idaho — near a pride event, according to local police.
A total of 31 members of the white supremacist group Patriot Front have been arrested near an Idaho pride event after they were found packed into the back of a U-Haul truck with riot gear.They are scheduled to be arraigned on MondayThe men were standing inside the truck wearing khakis, navy blue shirts and beige hats with white balaclavas covering their faces when Coeur d'Alene police stopped the U-Haul and began arresting them on the side of the road on Saturday.
The men were going through the booking process in the afternoon and were scheduled to be arraigned on Monday, he said. Based on evidence collected and documents, authorities found that the group was planning to riot in several areas of downtown Coeur d'Alene, not just the park, Mr White said.They wore arm patches and logos on their hats that identified them as members of Patriot Front, he said.
Police learned about the U-Haul from a tipster, who reported that "it looked like a little army was loading up into the vehicle" in the parking lot of a hotel, Mr White said.Videos of the arrest posted on social media show the men kneeling on the grass with their hands zip-tied behind their backs.