Boise Pride security guard accuses city police of negligence in protest incident

A security guard at last year’s Boise Pride Festival has filed a claim against the Boise Police Department, arguing that officers were negligent in responding to an incident with a protester that led to the guard being charged with misdemeanor battery.

The claim alleges that the security guard was “falsely” charged and detained by police, and it asks for $150,000 in damages. A tort claim is filed when an alleged action harms someone in what the law deems a civil wrong, not a crime. In Idaho, such a claim must be filed against a government agency before a lawsuit, to give the agency a chance to resolve the claim.

Much controversy surrounded the festival last year after the Idaho Republican Party chair, Dorothy Moon, and other far-right figures condemned a pride event for children. Multiple sponsors pulled their participation. The festival, which aims to celebrate LGBTQ+ people, later had the largest parade of its 33-year history, which thousands of people attended.

Boise Pride security guard’s tort claim

Charles Rehdorf, a high school teacher who lives in Caldwell and was a police officer in Nevada, was working security at the Pride Festival in Cecil D. Andrus Park on the morning of Saturday, Sept. 10, according to the claim filed earlier this month.

According to Rehdorf’s claim:

While the festival was preparing to open on Sept. 10, Rehdorf saw a man inside the venue’s area with a number of signs, one of which read, “Democrat against Pride.”

“(Rehdorf) had been informed by the festival’s promoters that the protester had previously been trespassed from a different venue and was not welcome at any events held by the promoter.”

Rehdorf asked the protester to leave. The protester stayed and walked up to some vendors and “began aggressively harassing, chastising, and berating them for participating in Pride Fest.” Rehdorf also observed that signs the protester was carrying “hit multiple people.”

Rehdorf says he then contacted Boise police.

“BPD failed to promptly respond to or assist (with Rehdorf’s) request for help,” so he contacted two troopers with the Idaho State Police who were at the scene.

They, too, were not able to get the protester to leave, and later told Rehdorf they did not have authority to remove him.

When three Boise police officers arrived, Rehdorf explained the situation and was told that the protester had not committed a crime, so the officers would not remove him.

Rehdorf “explained the permit rules which allow the venue promoter to trespass anyone that is not following the rules of the event.” The Boise officers disregarded that, the claim says.

Afterward, a group of other Pride attendees surrounded the protester on a sidewalk and began “arguing loudly with him.” The attendees “screamed” at him and tried to block his signs. The protester tried to walk through the crowd, hitting attendees with his signs and “kicking” them. Rehdorf also saw the protester “reaching or grabbing for something” in his waistband.

Rehdorf thought violence would ensue if he did not act. “Because the situation was growing increasingly dangerous, (Rehdorf) decided he needed to peacefully remove the protester from the crowd.”

When Rehdorf approached the protester and told him he had to move, the protester began yelling at him “in a threatening manner.” When Rehdorf tried to escort the protester away from the crowd, the protester turned and pushed Rehdorf.

“Based on this outburst of aggression and violence, (Rehdorf) felt the protester was going to immediately cause him great bodily harm or injury.”

Rehdorf tried to “move” him to an open area.

“Unbeknownst to (Rehdorf), the protester was standing on the edge of the sidewalk curb. When (Rehdorf) attempted to move the protester out of the way, the protester fell off the curb and hit the asphalt road.”

The protester then got “irate,” and Rehdorf “laid his body” on top of the protester to subdue him, and secured his wrists.

When police arrived, they asked Rehdorf to let the protester go, and Rehdorf saw that the protester was “bleeding from his head.”

Criminal charge against the guard

A few minutes later, Rehdorf was charged with misdemeanor battery.

Rehdorf, who teaches at Caldwell High School, suffered economic and reputational losses from the incident and charges. The security company he works for has received “death threats and fake negative reviews.”

Rehdorf has a trial for his battery charge scheduled for May. Misdemeanor convictions in Idaho are punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Based on a review of court records by the Idaho Statesman, the protester was not charged.

Reached by phone, Rehdorf’s lawyer, Max Williams, said that the pending legal matters — a tort claim and a criminal charge — make the case an “uncommon” situation.

A Boise Police Department spokesperson said the agency does not comment on pending litigation. The Boise Pride Festival, reached via social media, declined to comment.

The protester could not be reached for comment.