SPOKANE, Wash. – Pride organizers are expecting protesters at the festival this weekend, and they have a plan for how to keep things peaceful.
This comes just a few weeks after multiple incidents of Pride mural vandalism in and around Spokane.
Organizers plan to have the Peace and Justice Activist Musical Rascals of Spokane (PJAMRS), a local marching band, play loud music in front of protesters.
They also have 30-40 volunteers wearing yellow vests who are trained in de-escalation, along with private security hired for the event.
Executive Director of Spokane Pride, Matthew Danielson, says they want to keep things peaceful to set a good example.
“We’re about peace and love, not violence,” said Danielson. “It will only feed the other side if we are violent to them.”
Additionally, the Spokane Police Department will have a strong presence this weekend, with officers trained in crowd control ready to keep the peace.
In case you were wondering, the kickoff party is June 7th from 5-9 p.m. at the Pavilion.
The parade is June 8th at noon in downtown Spokane.
