SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. – Spokane Valley City Hall was packed Tuesday night as community members gathered to address Councilwoman Jessica Yaeger’s recent Facebook post, where she declared herself a “proud Islamophobe.”
The post sparked widespread criticism and prompted a peaceful rally outside City Hall before the council meeting. Neighbors, advocacy groups, and Muslim residents gathered to show support and unity.
Petra Hoy, a rally organizer, said she came out to reassure Muslim residents they are valued in the community.
“I saw the comments and the article and it was just really sad. And we wanted to make sure that our Muslim community knew that we support them and we love them… We just wanted to come out and show them that we don’t feel that way and they are welcome here and a very important part of our community,” Hoy said.
Councilmember Tim Hattenburg also attended the rally, emphasizing that Yaeger’s post does not reflect Spokane Valley’s values. “As a city, it’s not acceptable. We don’t appreciate it at all. These comments were made. It’s not reflective of the council or the city… This is not the city we live in, make those hate speech comments,” Hattenburg said.
Inside the chamber, city leaders formally distanced themselves from the post.
Before re-reading the city’s 2017 inclusivity resolution, Mayor Pam Haley told the crowd she was “deeply troubled” by the councilmember’s actions and said the post does not represent the values of herself, the city, or the council.
During public comment, several Muslim residents shared how the post affected them, saying it made members of their community feel targeted. Others called for Yaeger’s resignation.
Community member Andrew Cowley said “There’s no other way to deal with it beyond… a precondition needs to be that Jessica Yeager has to resign from the city council.”
Public comment lasted for more than an hour as dozens of residents voiced concerns.
Some spoke in support of Yaeger, including resident Ben Lund, who urged caution in how the community responds. “I just encourage people to do their own research… A lot of things getting blown up, getting out of context on both sides. We need to slow down quite a bit,” Lund said.
Councilwoman Yaeger did not make a statement during the meeting.
However, earlier in the day, when NonStop Local reached out for comment, she said:
“The people’s trust in the mainstream media has been eroded, and I echo their sentiment.”
The council did not announce any formal action Tuesday night, but many residents said they expect the conversation to continue in the coming weeks.
