SPOKANE, Wash. — Protesters and counter-protesters gathered on opposite ends of a sidewalk Sunday morning outside 2nd Base Espresso in Spokane’s Hillyard neighborhood.
On one side, protesters held pride flags and signs opposing the coffee shop’s recent message posted on their billboard. On the other side, supporters of the coffee shop defended the business owner’s right to free speech.
The espresso stand has been posting political messages for years. Previous signs have included messages supporting ICE deportations and gun rights. The most recent message, which referred to the transgender community in a negative way, prompted Sunday’s protest.
“They used some pretty horrendous language targeting trans people. And I think that is obviously disgusting. I think we should come here and fight against that,” said Daniel Jolley, one of the protesters against the coffee shop.
Jacqui Walker, another protester, against the coffee shop, said the messages depict Hillyard in a negative way. “What we’re saying as Hillyard is we do not agree with your comments or your statements, and we don’t want to do business with you, and we don’t think anyone should do business with you,” Walker said. “Hillyard is for everyone. There’s families, communities moving in here…. everyone is welcome here.”
Some defended the owners right to free speech.
“It is the coffee shop owners right…to be able to say whatever they want on the sign. I may or may not agree with it, but that still doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve the right,” said Aaron Hurley, who came to support the coffee shop. “If you don’t like what the sign says, you have all the right in the world not to buy, but if you’re trying to say they can’t put that on the sign, then that’s where I step in, because the First Amendment is for everyone, even businesses.”
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