Hunter
11/17/23
A month after a lecture by conservative speaker Chloe Cole on the University of Iowa campus was met with about 150 protesters, several participants have been formally charged with disorderly conduct and interference with official acts.
The appearance on October 16th led to individuals holding signs as they gathered on the road, causing Iowa City and University of Iowa police to redirect traffic. The Daily Iowan reports that after cars broke through, protesters would block the entrance of the Iowa Memorial Union parking lot and Madison Street. The protest ended with a march to UI President Barbara Wilson’s house.
One of the protesters, 21-year-old Jean Hornbuckle, was booked at the Johnson County Jail on Wednesday morning. According to court documents, they were part of a group that disrupted the flow of traffic that night for nearly 20 minutes and refused to allow police to open a lane of traffic while allowing the protest to continue. Hornbuckle was allegedly told over 30 times to leave the area, but locked arms with others and had to be physically removed, only to repeatedly return.
Hornbuckle is among a group of protesters charged with disorderly conduct by obstructing a public way and interference with official acts. The DI identifies the others as Tara McGovern Dutcher, Chan Dolan, Harry Manaligod and Emma Denney. Denney reportedly hip-checked an officer who was trying to escort them out of the roadway. The individuals face up to 13 months in jail if convicted on both counts.
One other individual, Vincent Shoppa, was charged with disorderly conduct for obstructing the street. Shoppa reportedly was asked by police if they realized what they were doing was against the law; they allegedly replied, “Yeah, but get your hands off of me.”
Each could be sentenced to up to a year in jail if convicted.
UI Campus Safety Public Information Officer Hayley Bruce said the charges took so long to be filed because not all protesters’ identities were known immediately after the incident.