BOISE - Occupy Boise protesters were forced to deal with some unexpected new visitors to their makeshift camp on Friday morning.
It seems two 'anti' Occupy Boise protesters decided to join the group's tent city that sprawls over the grounds of the old Ada County courthouse.
Here's the catch: these protesters decided to 'occupy' Occupy Boise with their cars.
Around 8 a.m., a shiny black corvette and a red hatch-back sedan could be seen parked on the state-owned land. At least one of the vehicle's owners also brought a home-made sign challenging the occupiers.
Authorities began towing the cars shortly after they were parked.
Protester Ronalee Linsemann says she parked her car on the lawn out of sheer disgust for the Occupy Boise movement, which she calls "ridiculous."
"I think my car really is more speech than their tents, and I think it's ridiculous they get to camp out here and put the onus on us taxpayers," Linsemann said. "When they finally do move, there will be no lawn left. We'll get to pay for everything."
Linsemann chairs the Canyon County Republican Women's party.
For the most part, Occupy Boise campers ignored the counter-protest; however, local authorities did not.
Idaho State Police officers had to shut down a section of 6th street between Jefferson and State Streets so tow-truck drivers could remove the protest vehicles, which were illegally parked.
ISP tells KTVB that the towing came at the 'anti' occupiers' expense.
Theresa Luna is the director of Idaho's Dept. of Administration. Her job is to enforce the unique rules and regulations that apply to state-owned properties and lands in Idaho. Luna says the 'anti' Occupy Boise protest was clearly illegal.
"The state does have very definite rules on where you can and cannot park," Luna said. "Clearly, parking on the lawns is not acceptable."
