Police find man behind Sandpoint hate flyers

SANDPOINT, Idaho — Police have identified the man they believe is responsible for racist propaganda found throughout Sandpoint over the past year.

The hateful propaganda has been found on people’s lawns, in their mailboxes, and, this fall, students at Sandpoint High School found it on their cars at school.

Body camera video obtained by the newspaper Bonner County Daily Bee shows the moment Sandpoint police confronted Scott Rhodes. His red jeep and license plate were caught on school security cameras last fall as he passed out red CDs to students, filled with racist propaganda.

On those red CDs was many of the same offensive material found on people’s lawns, cars, and mailboxes. Many were anti-Semitic and promoted white supremacy.

Rhodes referred police to his attorney when questioned about the CDs.

While the flyers are offensive, they are protected free speech. But since Rhodes solicited on school property without permission, the district is banning him from all school property for the next year.

While Rhodes hasn’t been charged with a crime in Sandpoint, the Bonner County Daily Bee reports that he is suspected of making threatening phone calls to city officials in Alexandria, Virginia. It’s unclear if he will face any criminal charges in that matter.

On Monday, Sandpoint’s mayor, the target of some of the flyers, told Kxly4 he is happy that Rhodes was identified.

Kxly4 also received a statement from the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force which read, in part:

Bonner County residents, including the youth, have shown over and over that they will not tolerate racist, bigoted or anti-Semitic actions and materials. They have shown this through their actions of unity again and again.

The Bonner County Human Rights Task Force will continue to partner with the community in their work towards greater understanding and acceptance of all. We pledge to fight against prejudice in any form.

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