Arrested Patriot Front Member Told Dad He Won't Leave Group: 'No Remorse'
The Seattle Times that his 20-year-old son Spencer claimed he did not regret being arrested alongside other members of Patriot Front earlier this month in Idaho.Thirty-one men believed to be associated with the white supremacist group were arrested on June 11 in Coeur d'Alene after police received a call from a bystander.
The men were seen getting into a U-Haul truck close to a hotel while they wore riot gear, including masks and shields. Police suspected the group had been planning to disrupt the Pride in the Park event in the city.In a June 16, Telegram post, Patriot Front said its members had been planning a "peaceful protest" and called the charges against them "fraudulent."Simpson told The Seattle Times he was shocked to learn that his son had been arrested through the news.
He said he told Spencer: "Well, I didn't expect to read about you in The New York Times."Despite being arrested, Simpson said his son expressed no regrets and remained dedicated to Patriot Front.
He told the publication: "There is no remorse. He has said to both my wife and I, 'no matter what I am not leaving the group.'"Spencer, a student at Central Washington University, later said he would be moving out from the family home and "bunk with some guys in Texas or wherever."But Simpson said that he was concerned that if his son left, it could make things worse, telling The Seattle Times, "If I thought that kicking him out would work, I would.
