July March To Raise $450 Per Minute

Nearly 900 people collectively are pledging to give human rights groups $450 for every minute the Aryan Nations marches in downtown Coeur d’Alene next month.

“At this rate, we could reach a sum of $1,000 per minute by the time of the march on July 18,” said Tony Stewart of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations.

The task force started asking for donations last winter when the Aryan Nations announced an April march in Coeur d’Alene. That march was later delayed until July, when the Hayden Lake based neo-Nazi group holds its annual Aryan World Congress.

The call for pledges has gone out nationally under the theme of “Making Lemonade out of Lemons.” People are being asked to sign lemonyellow petitions and to pledge money for every minute the Aryans march down Sherman Avenue.

The majority of the money is being pledged to the county task force and the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment to promote human rights and fight bigotry, Stewart said.

Other pledges will go to organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith.

The task force and coalition will hold rallies and other events during the same weekend as the Aryan parade.

Details will be announced late this week.