Driggs cafe owner and pro-life leader call for calm after viral clash

DRIGGS, Idaho (KIFI)- Both a local coffee shop owner and national pro-life leadership are calling for calm and mutual respect following a flood of harassment and threats triggered by a confrontation at a cafe in Driggs. Jim Sheehan, owner of Wydaho Roasters and Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, have both publicly condemned threats of violence that arose after video of the incident circulated on social media.

The controversy began on Monday, August 17 in the evening when Hawkins and a group of local advocates gathered at Wydaho Roasters to launch a local pro-life campaign chapter and discuss family resources. The meeting ended when Sheehan confronted the group, asked them to leave and compared pro-life supporters to the KKK. Video of the interaction was recorded and posted online, prompting immediate public backlash and harassment directed at the business.

Following the video's release online, Sheehan reported receiving non-stop phone calls, emails and anonymous text messages containing his home address. In response to the harassment, Sheehan deactivated the cafe's social media accounts, website and business phone line to protect his teenage employees and family.

Sheehan described how quickly the situation escalated after the video was posted.

“About two hours after the incident in the shop," Sheehan said. "This group had this sort of all planned and all queued up and ready to go. They walked out, chopped up videos, started posting them online. And immediately that night, we started getting phone calls and harassment.”

Sheehan added that people were “anonymously texting us our home address, just making it very clear that they know where we live.” He expressed concern over how online platforms can turn clipped videos into anger.

“I've learned that they're able to sort of take and structure information in a way to get people outraged,” Sheehan said. “And it's scary to sort of see the control that they have over these masses of people. They can just slip out a clipped video that totally misrepresents the situation and then get people to hate.”

Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, shared her account of being ejected from the business she previously frequented.

“The owner comes out and starts screaming at us that we are not welcome there and then he compares pro-lifers to the KKK,” Hawkins said. “This used to be my favorite place to get coffee. Literally, I used some of my points today to get coffee because I come here so much and he kicked us out. So much for liberal tolerance.”

However, Hawkins subsequently issued a statement calling for civility and condemning any threats against the shop owner.

“People are going to have different opinions, but that shouldn't prevent us from treating one another with respect or peacefully sharing a space,” Hawkins said. She added that threats of violence or death against anyone are unacceptable regardless of political stance.

Sheehan acknowledged in an interview with Local News 8 that his comparison to the KKK during the confrontation was a poorly chosen analogy brought on in the heat of the moment while defending his right as a business owner to choose who to host. On core issues, Sheehan noted his firm beliefs.

“There are some black and white issues, discrimination. Women's right to choose. There are not gray areas in that black and white,” Sheehan said.

Despite their ideological differences, Sheehan emphasized a desire for open, civil conversation rather than anonymous hostility online.

“I've always invited people down if they disagree. Let's come on down. I'll buy you a cup of coffee. Let's talk about it. We may not agree at the end of the conversation, but we'll both understand a little bit better,” Sheehan said.

While the shop experienced negative phone calls and drive-by disruptions, local regulars and customers across the country responded with support, sending flowers, hugs and online coffee orders once the cafe's website was reopened. Both the business owner and pro-life leaders expressed hope that community members can disagree strongly while still treating one another with respect.