Aryans Protest Cda Summit Against Racism Richard Butler Arrested, Cited For Trespassing

Even as North Idaho’s most prominent citizens gathered Saturday night to combat racism, the region’s most prominent racist was being arrested.

Business and community leaders had hoped their leadership forum would help throw the region’s anti-racism movement back into the spotlight.

The event, attended by more than 350 people, was a celebration of North Idaho’s civil rights record, and a rallying cry to reinvigorate the fight against hate.

Outside the convention rooms of the Coeur d’Alene Inn was a reminder of just how much work remains.

Richard Butler, pastor of the Aryan Nations church in Hayden Lake, and eight other protesters tried to hand out white-separatist literature to people arriving at the hotel.

One woman, who asked the Aryans for a flier, explained as she walked away, “I just wanted to see what kind of garbage it was.”

The Aryans left the hotel parking lot, which is private property, after a contingent of seven Coeur d’Alene police officers told them they weren’t welcome. They returned minutes later to the public sidewalk.

“I don’t think (Duane) Hagadone owns the sidewalk and we’re going to stay here as long as we can,” Butler said.

When Butler stepped off the sidewalk into the parking lot to hand out a brochure, he was handcuffed and taken to Kootenai County Jail and cited for trespassing. Butler later posted $150 bail and was released.

All week, callers to an Aryan phone hotline heard a strident attack of the gathering and its organizers.

One of the targets of the attack was tourism magnate Hagadone, who had called for an “image summit” to address the perception that North Idaho is a haven for racists.

Saturday’s gathering included testimonials from minority speakers, business leaders, politicians and citizen activists.

Sponsored by the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment and the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations, it was designed to raise awareness of the problems posed by groups that promote bigotry.

But it also was a call to action.

“I hope it gets individuals energized to move in a lot of directions, to get new support and new participation for human rights,” said Bill Wassmuth, executive director of the coalition.

Bob Potter, director of the county’s business recruitment program Jobs Plus, told the audience about his stalled negotiations with a Japanese company interested in locating a 60-employee manufacturing plant here. The owners said they feared for the safety of their Japanese employees.

“It bothers me that I might not even get the chance to counter that perception,” Potter said.

Potter said that while he knows of no minority employees of the 50 businesses he’s helped bring here who’ve had bad experiences, North Idaho can’t “sweep its problem under the rug.”

“That strategy won’t work,” he said, earning applause.

Potter hoped the gathering would “jump start” a faltering campaign that 10 years ago led Coeur d’Alene to win a national award for race relations.

“When you look at our history, there was a massive effort here,” Potter said. “I think we need to get that going again.”

A spokesman for Gov. Phil Batt told the audience that the U.S. Militia Association drew media attention from across the country to southern Idaho. But when its leader, Sam Sherwood, disbanded the group, few took notice.

“Samuel Sherwood couldn’t make a decent living in Idaho preaching fear and bigotry,” spokesman Frank Lockwood said. “Bigots and extremists will not find a welcome mat in Idaho.”

Lockwood said the governor urged the region to make Medal of Honor winner Vernon Baker and Olympic decathlon champion Dan O’Brien “synonymous with North Idaho.”

Specifically, the business community is considering a media awareness campaign of the region’s civil rights record and of on-going efforts to fight extremist groups.

Spokane Mayor Jack Geraghty spoke about a community-wide congress to focus on race relations, now scheduled for May 20.

He also urged people to form neighborhood groups to talk about race relations.

“We’ve got some really great things, some really positive things, here in North Idaho and Spokane,” said Potter. “To think that a few people can muck that up…that’s really tragic.” , DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: Cut in Spokane edition