In response to the conviction and sentencing of Susan Lang for charges related to disturbing the peace outside of the home of Central District Health board members in Boise, Idaho, Western States Center Deputy Director of Programs and Strategic Initiatives Amy Herzfeld-Copple issued the following statement.

In response to the conviction and sentencing of Patriot Prayer member Mackenzie Lewis of felony riot charges associated with several assaults that occurred during a brawl at a Portland bar in 2019, Western States Center deputy director of programs Amy Herzfeld-Copple issued the following statement.

In a letter sent yesterday to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke, Western States Center and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law laid out evidence that Patriot Front, a white nationalist group founded in the wake of the 2017 deadly Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, should be investigated for criminal actions under federal law.

After five pivotal years of incredible growth and progress, the WSC Board of Directors announces that Executive Director Eric K. Ward has transitioned to Senior Advisor. The WSC Board is delighted that Eric will remain part of the organization and that it will continue to benefit from his visionary leadership.

This weekend 31 members of Patriot Front, a white nationalist paramilitary group, were arrested for allegedly preparing to riot at an LGBTQ Pride event in Coeur d'Alene. The group was created by Thomas Rousseau during the fallout of the “Unite the Right” rally, a deadly white supremacist event in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017. Patriot Front operates nationwide, and Western States Center has tracked their escalating actions for years.

More than two dozen groups called on Attorney General Merrick Garland and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to investigate and respond to potentially illegal activity by paramilitary organizations on the United States’ southern border. In addition to threatening the safety and wellbeing of individuals in the border region, unauthorized paramilitary groups are using the area as a training ground in order to undermine the rule of law more broadly.

Yesterday in elections in Oregon and Idaho, anti-democracy candidates were defeated in several marquee races. Most notably Idaho gubernatorial hopeful Janice McGeachin, whose embrace of white nationalism and militias was soundly rejected by voters.

Portland was rocked by three attacks on houses of worship within the last seven days, beginning with a broken window at the Congregation Shir Tikvah, followed by antisemitic vandalism at the Congregation Beth Israel and most recently by attempted arson at the Muslim Community Center of Portland…

On Monday, leaders at Congregation Beth Israel, a synagogue located in Northwest Portland, reported that a fire had been lit outside the building and the walls had been defaced with antisemitic graffiti and violent threats…

A report last week issued by the Oregon Secretary of State laid out a series of recommendations for lawmakers to address the threat posed by anti-democracy movements…