Seven people charged after protesting on University of Iowa campus Musician recently acquitted Tara McGovernon Thursday called on the UI, Iowa City and state government to take action.
The group expressed a number of concerns to the UI Police Department and county attorney. Rachel Zimmerman Smithan action by the Iowa Legislature that alleges abuse at the Johnson County Jail, targeting transgender people and protesters.
A press conference at the Light House of Fashion, 910 S. Gilbert St. in Iowa City, announced that McGovern was acquitted of two misdemeanor charges related to protests at the Iowa Memorial Union in October. It was held with this in mind. McGovern, who uses they/them pronouns, was one of seven people indicted nearly a month after the protests broke out.
All seven people charged identify as transgender or non-binary.
McGovern was acquitted Wednesday by a jury of both the simple misdemeanor charge of obstructing official business and the gross misdemeanor charge of blocking a road. They prefer Mr. McGovern, even though his legal last name is Dutcher.
UIPD Detective Ian Mallory He testified in court that the delay in filing criminal charges was because he traveled immediately after the protests and did not return until Nov. 1. No one was arrested on the night of the protests.
Body camera and surveillance footage show that McGovern complied with police orders and backed out of the lane of traffic that police were trying to clear, a claim corroborated by testimony from UIPD officers. travis tyrrell He was in charge of police coverage of that night's events.
Tyrrell's body camera footage showed him physically moving several protesters out of the way of the traffic lanes he was trying to remove. Mr McGovern told Mr Tyrrell in the video that the protests were not illegal and that people should keep their hands off them.
Initial police reports on the protests made no mention of McGovern or police's interactions with them. Mallory said McGovern was identified nearly a month later during an examination of evidence at the county attorney's office and was added to the UIPD's list of people it plans to prosecute.
Additionally, Mallory testified that he asked Tyrrell to write a second report to supplement the information about McGovern. Mr. Mallory testified that he had never read Mr. Tyrrell's original report, which never mentioned Mr. McGovern.
Mr. Mallory testified that he recognized Mr. McGovern because he actively monitored social media accounts to assess threats in the community. Mallory said he remembered McGovern's criticism in 2021. The Johnson County Sheriff owns an armored vehicle called an MRAP that is built to withstand explosives..
The group also consisted of people who protested against Matt Walsh speaking at IMU in April 2023, although not all seven protesters who attended Chloe Cole's lecture attended the press conference. clara leinen He was one of nine protesters chained to the doors of Kinnick Stadium and arrested in December 2023 for supporting Palestinians during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. was.
Emma Denny He was one of the protesters charged at the Chloe Cole protests, along with McGovern. Denney said Thursday that the UIPD is abusing its power through social media surveillance tactics.
“When I look at the evidence in Tara's trial and my own police report at the University of Iowa, I find that police are working hard to protect transgender people, local activists, and others who speak up and stand up for us. We have engaged in a campaign of intimidation and unwarranted surveillance against people, the Iowa City community,” Denny said.
The group has three demands, the first of which is to disband the UIPD because it believes the university police department lacks sufficient oversight and is abusing its power.
Second, Iowa City will stand up against laws in Iowa that negatively impact transgender people and protesters, or that could negatively impact transgender people and protesters if signed into law.
McGovern's disorderly conduct charge was previously considered a simple misdemeanor, but that has since been changed. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signs 'Back the Blue' law in 2021the charge was upgraded to a gross misdemeanor.
Mr. Denney outlined these first two demands, and Mr. McGovern concluded with a poignant final request for university law enforcement.
“We want law enforcement to take the shit out of our protests,” McGovern said to applause and cheers from attendees.
Related: Iowa Memorial Union protester acquitted on all charges
johnson county supervisor john green At a press conference, he said more needs to be done for transgender people and protesters.
“We have an openly hostile state government in our country that is trying to destroy these people,” Green said.
green led to failure Attempts to blame Zimmerman Smith In February, he was charged with charges against seven Chloe Cole protesters.
was also present Mandy Remington, a local activist and member of the Iowa City Community Police Review Board. Remington said Iowa City has done a good job of outward acceptance, but the job can be done by standing up to the Iowa Legislature, he said.
“Whatever is going on at the state level, we need to do everything we can locally to mitigate it and not participate in it,” Remington said.
ryan dolanWho is protester Chloe Cole's father? Jang Doransaid he wants police oversight because incidents like this should never happen again.
“I'm thinking about quitting, I really am,” Dolan said. “Iowa is moving in the wrong direction.”
McGovern said he made a personal choice not to hold another protest on the UI campus. However, Leinen and others said they were fully willing to participate in the protests on campus.
“If I could scare the University of Iowa police away, I would be in big trouble,” Leinen said.
UIPD did not respond Daily Iowan For comments at the time of publication.
