Hunter
09/02/20
The Iowa City City Council has deferred the creation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission for a third time after getting input from Iowa Freedom Riders organizers and other community members about how it should be structured.
The Daily Iowan reports that the Commission was one of the primary demands by the Freedom Riders to improve on systemic inequalities in the community. Group organizer Raneem Hamad has proposed new amendments, one of which is that the commission run independent of the city council.
Councilors Laura Bergus and Janice Weiner drafted the framework for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and remain committed to forming the commission by October 1st, but Bergus said they need to consider the new amendments beforehand.
The council voted unanimously to defer.
In other council business, an outside firm will be contracted to investigate the events of June 3rd when law enforcement used tear gas and flash-bangs on protesters. The city also agreed to release video that includes body cameras from two different officers on that date. City Manager Geoff Fruin said it could be made public by Thursday.