Lang
6/10/20
The group Iowa Freedom Riders has decided to temporarily halt its protests in Iowa City after one of its members discussed the group’s demands with the Iowa City City Council Tuesday.
Mayor Bruce Teague called a special council meeting to meet with an Iowa Freedom Rider representative. The meeting was held via Zoom and streamed on the city’s Facebook and YouTube pages, although the Iowa Freedom Rider representative did not have her camera turned on.
The Freedom Rider issued a list of written demands. They include:
-Drop all charges against protesters, including citations, tickets, etc.
-Strong statement from ICPD in favor of protests including deprioritization of law and order; and property damage. Instead a prioritization of police accountability for racism while also addressing issues of systemic racism and inequality.
-The full publication of the ICPD budget, specifically on budget spending.
-Every Iowa City department should have at least 30 percent of its staff dedicated to diversity and inclusion.
-Every institution and business must not only have but also is required to implement an equity tool kit.
-A clear and sensible plan for affordable housing. If this is not met those involved must have consequences.
-Johnson County Sheriffs/ICPD may not enforce evictions.
-Iowa City provides funds for the Special Populations Involvement [SPI program] (Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department).
-A plan to restructure ICPD toward community policing similar to what is happening in Minneapolis, MN; Camden, NJ; and Los Angeles, CA.
-Reforming the Iowa City Community Police Review Board [CPRB] so that it has real power, including, but not limited to, the ability to subpoena officers. The reformed CPRB must also have the ability to enact and enforce measurable consequences when the board recommendations are not followed or implemented.
-ICPD divestment from and, removal of, military-grade equipment and contracts from the Federal government.
The spokeswoman then added other demands not on the initial list, including:
-renaming Wetherby Park after the Black Lives Matter movement;
-making the annual Jazz Festival a celebration of black culture;
-creating a truth and reconciliation commission led by people of color that can work on the proposed ideas;
-and providing city and business spaces for murals that depict pride for the Black Lives Matter movement.
Teague said the list of demands included things that were long overdue in the community. The council discussed the proposals after the spokeswoman left he Zoom meeting due to a prior commitment. While some of the demands are out of the purview of the city council, some actions have already begun. They include having city staff write up a new police budget with the proposed changes, and reviewing police charges of protesters, including traffic tickets.
The Iowa Freedom Riders agreed to not protest Tuesday and Wednesday nights while the council works on the list of demands.