"Councilmember Woody McEvers’ asked if this ordinance would have made any difference in the recent racial incidents in Coeur d’Alene had it been in effect last year. Adams conceded that because “there was no threat of physical harm or injury with the expectation that that would actually occur…this would not have changed that result in either case.”
“There still has to be a threat of harm, violence, injury that is reasonable to expect would occur before we can punish it,” Adams said. “Otherwise you are punishing speech.”
Councilmember Dan English expressed his enthusiasm for the bill’s penalty that restricts offenders from obtaining City license and permit or joining a city activity. English said he would “highly approve of” the penalty which would “hit them right in the pocketbook.”
“People have a right to do what they’re going to do [and] make kinds of choices,” said English. “But you’ve always got to be ready to pay the price. I think that’s great.”
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