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Iowa City leaders weigh truth, justice and hurt feelings as TRC chair Amel Ali is suspended over offensive comments

Iowa City’s Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) voted 7-0 to temporarily remove Amel Ali as its chair during the commission’s regular meeting on Thursday night. The vote to suspend Ali as chair came the same day the Iowa […]

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Iowa Freedom Riders: Nobody deserves prison, including the man who could have killed us

“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 […]

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The man who intentionally hit Iowa City protesters with his car in August avoids prison

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 […]

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Police interactions with youth, the homeless discussed at final Iowa City Council listening posts

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 […]

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‘A part of me is gone’: Family and friends mourn Makeda Scott during memorial service on the Pentacrest

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 […]

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‘We need to do better’: Iowa City Council holds listening post to discuss mental health and police reform

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 […]

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Iowa City releases body-camera footage of law enforcement officers tear-gassing protesters on June 3

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 […]

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Iowa Freedom Riders lead a weekend of protests ahead of the Iowa City Council’s next meeting

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 […]

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Iowa City man arrested for driving a car into protesters on Friday night

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 […]

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