COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — A human rights education center is asking the Coeur d'Alene city council to stand up against racism.
At Tuesday night's city council meeting, Human Rights Education Institute's executive director Jeanette Laster asked the city council to post an anti-racism statement it made in 2020 in a more prevalent spot on their website.
The request comes after reports of a white supremacist group planning a gathering in North Idaho next month.
“That is their first amendment right to have that ideology, but it's also our community's responsibility to make sure that people are not discriminated against or hated against and continue to provide a welcoming environment,” said Laster on Thursday.
Since then, Laster said they've received phone calls, both negative and positive, with many wanting to support the institute and their Love Lives Here CDA campaign.
She also said they've received calls from people wanting to protest: “We are not an organization that does. We do outreach through education and so there may be groups in town that will do that, but we're not recommending that."
Laster said HREI is working on creating an educational event on that same day and plans to increase their efforts to gather more support for their Love Lives Here CDA campaign.
About 250 businesses have signed up to be part of the campaign since it started.
“We pretty regularly have businesses reaching out that want to participate and want to share what they’ve always known about Coeur d’Alene. That it is a welcoming community and just reemphasize that.”
According to KREM 2’s media partner the Coeur d'Alene Press, city officials said they'll consider Laster's request.