Christians in Idaho who had been banned from carrying religious symbols during their 4th of July parade came out in force on Thursday proudly toting crosses.
Those who attended the Independence Day parade in Coeur d’Alene in the deep red state could be seen proudly waving crosses alongside the star spangled banner.
As some carried crosses alongside Old Glory, others wore t-shirts with the symbol of the cross emblazoned across it.
The move by locals came after the Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber reversed a policy which had banned the use of religious symbols in the July 4 parade. New regulations that had been implemented had banned ‘symbols associated with specific political movements, religions or ideologies’, branding them unacceptable.
An outcry had gained momentum over the weekend in the city about the policy before it quickly changed last week. In u-turning on the policy, Coppess said: ‘As a person of deep faith, the recent events and accusations have been especially heartbreaking.