Pro-Palestine protester arrested in latest escalation near Idaho Capitol over encampment

Idaho State Police arrested an adult woman in Boise on Friday night on suspicion of resisting or obstructing officers as pro-Palestine demonstrations continued near the Idaho Capitol.

State police ordered protesters to vacate the grass adjacent to the Capitol “for maintenance” by 6:30 p.m. Friday, according to Aaron Snell, ISP spokesperson.

At about 9:45 p.m., some protesters who have called for an immediate ceasefire still had not left when police returned, and tents, tables and food were confiscated, Snell said in a Saturday text message to the Idaho Statesman.

The woman who was arrested initially refused to identify herself to police, Snell said. Boise police were called to assist ISP and “provided support from the street” near the downtown former courthouse, Boise police spokesperson Haley Kramer said in a Saturday email to the Statesman. Boise police made no arrests, she said.

The female protester was booked into the Ada County Jail on a misdemeanor charge of resisting officers, according to the jail log. By Saturday afternoon, she was no longer listed in custody.

Friday’s arrest represents the latest escalation in state and local efforts to curb some anti-war protest near the Capitol in Boise over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Local demonstrations date to November after Hamas militants attacked Israeli border towns near the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7. The surprise invasion led to the deaths of hundreds of Israeli civilians and Israel’s military response that has lasted seven months and counting. More than 34,000 Palestinians have since been killed, local Gaza health officials have reported, according to the Associated Press.

Protesters in Boise first established an encampment on the grounds near the Capitol last week. They’ve clashed with police in recent days, including over the tearing down of “symbolic tents,” the Statesman previously reported.

On Thursday, Idaho Gov. Brad Little warned of stepped-up actions to detour demonstrations in the state capital that brush up against state law.

“My administration is committed to enforcing the law and protecting our Capitol and public from the dangers of illegal encampments. Idaho is not Portland, LA, San Francisco, or Seattle where public officials tolerate unsafe and destructive public camping,” Little said in a statement. “Idaho cherishes and protects our First Amendment rights to speech — popular and unpopular alike — but I will not tolerate any group’s efforts to establish encampments that damage state property, create health and safety risks and interfere with other forms of public access.

“I am grateful for the prompt and consistent efforts of the Idaho State Police and Department of Administration,” he added.