Lang
6/8/20
One of the leaders of recent protests in Iowa City has been arrested after demonstrators clashed with police last week.
20-year-old Mazin Mohamedali of South Linn Street was booked into the Johnson County Jail just after 6:45 Sunday night. Mohamedali is one of the leaders of the group Iowa City Freedom Riders, who has helped lead recent protests in Iowa City following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
Arrest records indicate Mohamedali was charged because he was part of a group of protesters who blocked potions of Dubuque Street and Foster Road last Wednesday. Iowa City Police say members of the group spray painted, defaced and caused property damage to roadways, street signs and buildings.
While demonstrators have been marching through the streets of Iowa City nightly since June 1st, Wednesday night’s protest was the only one that saw police use flash bangs and gas canisters to keep the crowd at bay. City officials later said they regretted the confrontation, and would try to avoid using such crowd control measures in the future.
Mohamedali is charged with Unlawful Assembly, Disorderly Conduct and a probation violation. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 60 days in jail.
Mohamedali is on probation after a 2nd Degree Robbery conviction in 2018. That charge was pleaded down from 1st Degree Robbery.
Mohamedali is also awaiting trial on a felony drug charge from earlier this year.
The Daily Iowan quoted Mohamedali over the weekend as saying his group would be back Monday night and “ready for war”. Saturday night Freedom Riders verbally fought with city and county officials over the speed with which the group’s demands could be met. According to The Cedar Rapids Gazette, demands include cutting the Iowa City police budget by 25 percent and redirecting the money to social services; giving the police citizens review board more power; dropping charges against protesters; and decriminalizing the use and possession of marijuana less than 40 grams. The list also demands a reduction in the probation time for marijuana violations.
Online records show a second person, 22-year-old Hans Eismann, was arrested for Wednesday night’s clash with police, although he was taken into custody that night. Eismann also faces charges of Unlawful Assembly and Disorderly Conduct.