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“That’s bullshit.” “This is not justice.” “Disappointed, but not surprised.” “What he did is a terroristic act and should be in prison for it.” The news that Michael Ray Stepanek, an Iowa City man who intentionally drove through a crowd of racial justice protesters on Aug. 21 in order to give them an “attitude adjustment,” […]
After spending 76 days in the Johnson County Jail, an Iowa City man who attempted to take the law into his own hands this summer by driving into protesters has avoided prison time and, pending any further infractions, will have a clean record by 2024. The incident Just before 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 21, as […]
The Iowa Freedom Riders were voted Best Social Justice Advocate in Little Village’s 2020 Best of the CRANDIC awards. “What do we want?” “JUSTICE!” “When do we want it?” “NOW!” Hearing chants like these in downtown Iowa City became the norm this summer as demonstrations for racial justice became a daily or weekly presence. Leading […]
Last week, the Iowa City Council concluded its series of listening posts to gather feedback from residents on issues related to community policing, including police interactions with young people and people experiencing homelessness. During Monday’s listening post at Chauncey Swan Park, representatives from Shelter House, CommUnity Crisis Services, United Action for Youth and the Jail […]
Speeches and music filled the air in around the Pentacrest on Friday night, as more than 100 people gathered to mourn Makeda Scott. Organized by Scott’s mother, Simmone Spencer-VanGorp, and the Iowa Freedom Riders (IFR), the memorial aimed to celebrate Scott’s life, and reinforce calls for justice. “I’m mad at her for leaving me, and […]
The Iowa City Council held the first of six scheduled listening posts to get public input regarding community policing reforms at Mercer Park on Wednesday evening. Approximately 50 community members attended the event, which focused on how situations involving mental health, crisis intervention and addiction should be handled. As part of the resolution passed on […]
We are members of the Iowa Freedom Riders, a multi-racial collective of BIPOC individuals, white allies and other marginalized groups who believe in the Black Lives Matter ideals that have been highlighted throughout the country this summer. When the nation watched George Floyd’s murder on video, several of us went to Minneapolis to join the […]
Three months after law enforcement officers used tear gas, pepper spray, flash-bang grenades and other munitions on protesters marching up Dubuque Street on June 3, Iowa City released two police body-camera videos from that night. The Iowa City Council had directed City Manager Geoff Fruin to release the footage at its Tuesday night meeting. During […]
Matthew Bruce, one of the leaders of Des Moines BLM, was arrested in Iowa City late on Monday night. Bruce has been charged with nine counts of assault on a police officer with intent to cause harm, a class D felony, and one count of interfering with official acts, a simple misdemeanor. According to KCRG, […]
The Iowa Freedom Riders led three nights of protest in Iowa City starting on Friday to push for the Iowa City Council to take faster action on the group’s demands, ahead of the city council’s next meeting on Tuesday. A fourth night of protest is scheduled for Monday. IFR’s demands for action to address issues […]
Late Tuesday afternoon, the Iowa City Police Department announced it had arrested a 45-year-old Iowa City resident for driving his car through a crowd of protesters gathered in the intersection of Gilbert and Burlington streets Friday night. Multiple people who had turned out for the march led by the Iowa Freedom Riders were struck by […]
On Friday night, the Iowa Freedom Riders led marchers through the streets of Iowa City in their first protest since early July. IFR organizers — joined by five members of Des Moines Black Lives Matter, who had been in Cedar Rapids earlier to deliver donated items to help people affected by the derecho — led […]
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