Farmers Market Said Vendor Met Standards To Sell Items With Militia Group Logo, Will Change Policy After i9 Investigation

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Economic Alliance is changing its policy for vendors and produce at the downtown Cedar Rapids Farmers Market after our KCRG-TV9 i9 investigation team found a vendor selling related coasters with Three Percenters.

A spokesman for the group originally said American Sparks and Sawdust could sell coasters bearing the militia group’s logo.

Nikki Wilcox, who is a spokeswoman for the Economic Alliance, said American Sparks and Sawdust could sell coasters with the group’s logo because they were made in Iowa.

“We review his products and he complies with all our market regulations,” he wrote. “All products sold at the Downtown Farmers Market must be grown, produced, manufactured or processed in Iowa, and American Sparks and Sawdust meets those standards.”

The Three Percenters has been considered a terrorist entity in Canada since june 2021was the subject of an FBI counterterrorism investigation in Minnesota in 2017 and federal prosecutors say its members attempted to kidnap and hold Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer hostage. in October 2020.

A report for the George Washington University Center for Extremism said 14 people associated with the Three Percenters were charged with attacking the Capitol on Jan. 6. According to the report published in January 2021the only groups with more people charged were the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys.

The Anti-Defamation League describe the cluster as a movement of militias, who want to protect Americans from government tyranny. He said the group has become less active in opposing the federal government in recent years and has directed its anger at leftists, Muslims and immigrants.

The Economic Alliance declined an on-camera interview due to scheduling conflicts. However, CEO Doug Neumann defended the symbol over the phone.

“It’s a different symbol for different people,” Neumann said.

Anthony Arrington, who lives in Cedar Rapids, said selling items with the logo of a group he believes is a hate group casts Cedar Rapids in a negative light.

“That bothers me as a black man to allow hate groups to flourish in my community,” he said. “Plain and plain.”

Both Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell and City Manager Jeff Pomeranz said the symbol has no place in Cedar Rapids in a written statement.

“The City of Cedar Rapids places a high value on diversity, equity and inclusion,” Pomeranz said. “Hateful messages are contrary to the vision and values ​​of our City.”

“Hate and symbols of hate have no place in Cedar Rapids,” said Mayor O’Donnell. “The Economic Alliance, which manages the Central Farmers Market, has assured us that this will not happen again.”

According to the Economic Alliance website, suppliers must provide an accurate list of products to a selection committee to choose suppliers. Vendors are asked to give specific descriptions, using cake flavors as an example.

The Economic Alliance declined to publish the application from American Sparks and Sawdust, which sells several different woodworking products. According to to the Secretary of State The Harper, Iowa-based company lists Jesse Gent as company manager.

Our KCRG-TV9 i9 investigation team called the company twice, which did not respond. The company made a post on Facebook before we went live calling Three Percenters “patriotic” and the farmers market didn’t know about the product. Screenshots showing videos showing the product on the market have been removed.

Before our KCRG-TV9 i9 research team broke our story, the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance put out a press release related to the items being sold.

The Economic Alliance said it had reached an agreement with American Sparks and Sawdust, which it described as a long-standing and popular supplier, not to display products bearing the Three Percenters logo. He also claimed that misinformation related to the situation was being spread.

“We want to proactively address false rumors and make sure our vendors and community members know how the situation was handled,” he said. “The Farmers Market continues to be a safe and welcoming environment for all.”

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