COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — Idaho Governor Brad Little visited Coeur d'Alene Friday to help hand out meals and answered questions about past and future protests against his stay-home order intended to help stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Little recently announced his four-step plan to reopening the state, with the steps being spread out between May 1 and June 13.
Some people in the state have grown restless, with a Southern Idaho mother being arrested earlier this week for refusing to leave a closed park, multiple citations being handed out to people in North Idaho for breaking the order through parties and yard sales, and demonstrations taking place in Boise and Sandpoint in the previous weeks.
More demonstrations are planned for this weekend, with a group calling for people to hold yard sales in defiance of the order.
Little said these displays are disrespectful to those following the order.
"I just think it's a little disrespectful to the people that are making a sacrifice and doing the right thing," Little told KREM's Taylor Viydo.
It's worth pointing out that most people in Idaho appear to be following the order, but some have shown their displeasure with being forced to stay home.
Last weekend, a group gathered along Long Bridge in Sandpoint, and according to the Coeur d'Alene Press, a group is gathering in a parking lot across from Kootenai Health on Sunday to hold a "Freedom Gathering."
A post on the Idaho Freedom Foundation's website also lists several ways to defy the order, including holding unified yard sales across the state.
According to the post, the call for yard sales comes in response to a Rathdrum family that was recently cited for holding a yard sale after repeatedly being warned to stop.
Little's order asks people to avoid public gatherings, and he said the amount of people respecting the call for people to stay home amid the pandemic vastly outnumbers those breaking the order.
"The number of people that are interested in doing a demonstration is an infinitesimal percent of the number of people in Idaho that understand doing the right thing, making a sacrifice for themselves, for their communities, staying home, staying safe," Little said.
In a statement, the Coeur d'Alene Police Department said it plans to use "education over enforcement" if it receives reports of demonstrations. The department also said community members have been respectful and supportive of the order.
The Kootenai County Sheriff's Office echoed the same sentiments, saying its deputies would "continue to educate the public regarding the order." The KCSO previously said it would treat violations of the order on a case-by-case basis and wanted to educate people first.
Little said he understands that there are some upset with the order, but he previously has said that protecting the health of Idahoans is paramount.
"I'm not against anyone objecting, but they shouldn't object while putting the rest of the community at risk," Little said.