Idaho State Police head to housing protest outside Capitol again, arrest three

For at least the sixth time in seven weeks, Idaho State Police went to a protest Tuesday on the Capitol Mall calling attention to homelessness, arresting three people and citing four others.

Tents have been set up on the property of the former Ada County Courthouse in downtown Boise, across from the Statehouse, since January as part of a protest calling for more resources for people needing housing and for more affordable dwellings.

The property is state-owned and falls under the jurisdiction of the state police.

A 39-year-old was arrested on suspicion of felony possession of meth and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, and on a felony failure to appear warrant. The woman received a citation for violating the provision of Idaho code that prohibits camping on the Capitol Mall, according to a news release from Idaho State Police.

A 40-year-old man was arrested on a misdemeanor failure to appear warrant and cited for violating the camping prohibition.

Police placed a 56-year-old who is on parole for a burglary conviction in the custody of the Idaho Department of Correction, according to prison records.

The arrests were made Tuesday morning, a week after police conducted three arrests and issued 12 citations there.

Idaho State Police called the law enforcement activity a “visit” and said “troopers will continue to respond to calls for service to the area, remove any unclaimed prohibited items, and check on the welfare of those on-site.”

Demonstrators are allowed to protest using tents but may not bring items that indicate camping, a court ruled.

Idaho Legal Aid, an advocacy group, has previously threatened legal action against the police for alleged violations of demonstrators’ First Amendment rights to protest and Eighth Amendment rights to sleep outdoors if other shelter is unavailable.