Second Amendment group calls for Blakey recall

This story has been updated from its original version to correct a Tribune error.

Gun rights advocates are organizing a protest and calling for Lewiston City Councilor Bob Blakey to be removed from office.

The advocates, led by Heather Rogers, carried out a show-of-force protest in which its members patrolled downtown Lewiston on Saturday during and after a nearby Black Lives Matter protest. They came under fire at Monday’s city council meeting, where several citizens said they were unnerved and intimidated by the presence of the gun rights protesters, many of whom carried semiautomatic rifles, stating they were there to protect businesses from would-be Antifa looters.

Residents commented that some of the protesters displayed lax gun safety practices, some downtown merchants said the armed contingent scared away shoppers and others said they heard the armed men use racial slurs. One of them even demanded a downtown resident show identification, according to Lewiston police.

During the meeting, Blakey suggested the council pass a resolution asking Idaho legislators to give cities more authority to regulate firearms during protests.

Rogers, author of the Facebook page Liberate Idaho, posted an invitation Wednesday to protest in front of Lewiston City Hall from 5:30-7 p.m. June 22, during the same time the council meets.

“We will be meeting and protesting how our city counselor Bob Blakey wishes to infringe upon our 2A RIGHTS. Bob Blakey needs to be removed from city council. We will be rallying together in support of our 2A Rights during the city council’s next meeting. We the people WILL NOT allow people to trample upon our rights,” according to the posted invitation.

The council meets at the Lewiston City Library, and it is not meeting in person at this time in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Instead, meetings are held virtually.

Rogers did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment on the protest. Blakey, a gun owner, said he isn’t interested in taking guns away. He said he wants to see if there is room to tweak open carry laws.

“As a gun owner, I understand the importance of maintaining guns. I also understand the importance of being respectful of other people who are not gun owners,” he said. “Once we start losing respect for each other, I think society breaks.”

He likened allowing cities to regulate where and when guns can be carried to other health and safety laws.

“I see it through a different lens maybe than the Second Amendment group. I see it the same way we don’t allow smoking in bars, and we don’t allow you to walk into a store with no shirt and no shoes. There are a lot more of those types of sideboards we have on our rights,” Blakey said. “I’m not taking a right way from you going to a store if you have to wear a shirt and shoes. It’s a health issue.”

Blakey also noted he doesn’t believe he has the support of his fellow council members to pass a resolution asking the Legislature to consider changing open carry laws.

“That is what’s cool about government; government requires a majority to make decisions.”

Barker may be contacted at ebarker@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2273. Follow him on Twitter @ezebarker.