Lang
1/26/24
The Iowa City Human Rights Commission is calling for charges to be dropped against seven trans and non-binary protestors who were arrested outside the Iowa Memorial Union last fall.
The protest was in response to the student group Young Americans for Freedom bringing in anti-trans activist Chloe Cole, who transitioned to a male before de-transitioning back to being female. She spoke at the IMU on the night of October 16th. Nearly 150 University of Iowa students and others gathered around the building to protest Cole’s appearance. Seven were arrested for allegedly refusing police demands to move out of the roadway at the intersection of West Jefferson and South Madison Streets. Charges include Disorderly Conduct and Interference With Official Acts.
Some of the protestors reached out to KCJJ to note police had “deadnamed” them by using their birth names instead of their post-transition names on arrest records.
The statement from the Human Rights Commission notes all seven of those facing charges identify as trans or non-binary. It calls for all charges to be dropped, and for local law enforcement agencies to review how they respond to future protests. The Commission also condemns recently-enacted Iowa laws that criminalize blocking traffic during a protest.