Boise homeless advocates hold potluck as protesters rally against people sleeping next to statehouse

By Samantha Wright

Published January 31, 2022 at 2:24 PM MST

Supporters of the homeless community, as well as unhoused individuals themselves, react to a counter protest by Idaho Liberty Dogs on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022. For the past two weeks, homeless Idahoans with the help of volunteers have been holding a demonstration with camping tents set up on the lawn of the former Ada County Courthouse in downtown Boise to draw attention to the lack of affordable housing and other issues homeless people face. Followers of a Facebook group Idaho Liberty Dogs protested the homeless calling their demonstration a tent city and asking them to leave.

On Saturday, around 200 people went to a potluck outside the former Ada County Courthouse in Boise. They were there to support a homeless demonstration which has been on the lawn for two weeks.

Another 70 people gathered across the street in a counter protest, condemning the ongoing demonstration.

Today on Idaho Matters, we learn what happened on Saturday when the two sides met — and what's motivating each side. Our guests are Ian Stevenson and Sally Krutzig are reporters with the Idaho Statesman and covered the event and the homeless tent camp demonstration.

People from the Idaho Liberty Dogs group gather across the street from a homeless demonstration to protest their demonstration presence which resembles a tent city in downtown Boise on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022 outside of the former Ada County Courthouse. For the past two weeks, homeless Idahoans with the help of volunteers have been holding a demonstration at that site, which is near the State Capitol Building, to draw attention to the lack of affordable housing and other issues homeless people face. Followers of a Facebook group Idaho Liberty Dogs protested the homeless calling their demonstration a tent city and asking them to leave.

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Samantha Wright

As Senior Producer of our live daily talk show Idaho Matters, I’m able to indulge my love of storytelling and share all kinds of information (I was probably a Town Crier in a past life). My career has allowed me to learn something new everyday and to share that knowledge with all my friends on the radio.

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