Lang
11/7/20
An Iowa City protest leader has pleaded not guilty to charges that he tried to blind police officers during a demonstration last summer.
Online records indicate 24-year-old Matthew Bruce, an organizer for the Des Moines Black Liberation Movement, entered the plea Thursday in Johnson County District Court.
Bruce was initially arrested on August 31st after a Black Lives Matter protest. Police say that while protesting outside University of Iowa President Bruce Harreld’s Church Street residence, Bruce pointed a laser beam into the eyes of multiple officers, causing injuries which needed medical treatment. He reportedly ran when officers approached him, and they located him later that night on the 100 block of South Linn Street.
Bruce faces nine counts of assault on a peace officer with intent to injure, six counts of assault on persons in certain occupations causing bodily injury and one charge of interference with official acts. If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum of 57 years in prison.
On Thursday Judge Kevin McKeever set a trial date of February 16th. A case management conference is scheduled for January 15th.