BOISE, Idaho — The City of Boise canceled a campaign event planned by far-right anti government activist Ammon Bundy, who is a gubernatorial candidate, due to his track record of harassing Boise employees and doctors, Boise Mayor Lauren McLean said in a statement.
The rally was planned for Sept. 10 at Cassia Park in Boise. McLean says the city received the reservation under a different name, something she thinks Bundy did to "skirt" the special events process and requirements in place.
City of Boise spokesperson Maria Weeg said that the original event was registered as a smaller, private one. The city later found out that it was being advertised by Bundy as a much larger event with food trucks and bounce houses. This changes the registration type from a private event to a "special event," she said, not allowed at Cassia Park. Those types of events have to be vetted through a special events team.
"Bundy and his associates have made a habit of harassing city employees, personally targeting doctors, and threatening judges and so many others in our community and consistently disregard established ways of ensuring public safety. The people of Boise have had enough of his threats and intimidation, and do not wish to welcome someone with Mr. Bundy's track record into the heart of our community," McLean's statement said.
Bundy, in a press release on Tuesday, compared Boise to Birmingham, Alabama in the 1960s "where Martin Luther King Jr. was discriminated against for organizing peaceful rallies to bring awareness to government abuse and injustice," quoting MLK in his statement: "'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'"
He also called McLean's philosophy that of "Jim Crow" and asked if he would be treated differently if he was "a gay Democrat."
Bundy's campaign website still shows the event listed for Sept. 10 as the "Keep Idaho Idaho rally."
According to Boise City code, "The department is responsible for the stewardship of all Boise City park properties, and thus any encroachments upon them. The department shall regulate all non-park related construction activity on or across park property and provide conditions to assure preservation of the public's interest and proper restoration of the parks."
Bundy has been frequently arrested in Boise for trespassing during protests, especially on statehouse property, as well as on St. Luke's Health System property, forcing a temporary lockdown of the facility.
He is currently being sued by St. Luke's, but has not responded to the lawsuit and could face being held in contempt.
Bundy announced his candidacy for governor in February as an Independent.
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