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Refugee program speakers draw crowds, protests

Anti-Islam speakers draw crowds, protests
Anti-Islam speakers draw crowds, protests
Anti-Islam speakers draw crowds, protests
Anti-Islam speakers draw crowds, protests
Posted at 6:28 PM, Jan 14, 2016
and last updated 2016-01-15 06:50:09-05

BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- Over 300 people holding "Idaho is too great for hate" signs rallied inside the Idaho Statehouse Thursday evening to protest  a refugee resettlement program presentation.

The demonstration organized by the Interfaith Equality Coalition lined the walls of the Capitol as nearly another 100 people attended the event warning against the dangers of Islamic extremists in America.

Christopher Holton with the Center for Security Policy, who spoke at Thursday's presentation, says the government is falling short of protecting the American people. He said he is not against refugees, or Muslims in general, but has concerns about how the resettlement program is currently being operated. Presenters invited all 105 state lawmakers to attend but only a dozen did.

Opposition to refugee resettlement has been spreading across pockets in Idaho over the past year as part of the national debate over the vetting of refugees fleeing war-torn Syria and particularly following deadly attacks in San Bernardino, California and Paris.