Amid Black Lives Matter protests, a rumoured Antifa invasion fuelled fear in regional Idaho
By Rebecca Armitage Posted 10 June 2020, updated 10 JunJune 2020
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Terror spread across state lines
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The state of Idaho has "open carry" gun laws. It's not unusual to see someone carrying a pistol in a holster on their hip in downtown Coeur d'Alene.
But for two women who grew up in the city close to the border of Canada, the weapons being brandished were terrifying.
The armed vigilantes said they were "patriots" who wanted to help local businesses and residents protect their property. (The Spokesman-Review via AP: Kathy Plonka)
"These are huge guns — [nearly a metre] tall, they're huge," Ms Creque said.
Avery Nebel had wanted to join peaceful protests calling for an end to police brutality in America, but some of the armed men made her think twice.
"A part of me was nervous because of the guns. I drove down there and was so uncomfortable and wanted to get out of there so fast," she said.
"It's hard for me to say I'm scared to go down there because I'm white, and people have more legitimate reasons why they're scared to go."
Coeur d'Alene Police said no violence was reported, and Mrs Nebel believes some of the armed vigilantes genuinely wanted to protect their home town.
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'We're fighting for basic human rights'
It has been a traumatic few weeks for 21-year-old Lauryn Creque, who is a woman of colour.
African Americans represent about 14 per cent of the US population. But in Idaho, they make up less than 1 per cent of residents.
For Ms Creque, growing up in Coeur d'Alene meant often feeling "apprehensive" in public.
She has been repeatedly pulled over by police. At 17, while driving with friends, a police officer pulled over her car and claimed he could smell marijuana.
Despite being a minor, she was not allowed to call her mum for help. She was searched and given a $500 fine, which was later dropped.
Ms Creque said the sole white teenager in the car was treated by the officer with respect and called "ma'am".
As girls, when Avery and Lauryn boarded the school bus or went to parties together, occasionally someone would shout racial slurs.
"We were getting on a school bus at 12, and someone said, 'get that n-word off of here.' It broke my heart," Mrs Nebel remembered.
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