At Kinnick, protesters chained themselves to entrance Gates D and F, which led into the upper decks of the stadium. They did so by using bicycle locks, and large rubber bands around their wrists with plastic tubes for protection. Their reasoning behind doing so in the pro-Palestinian protest was to barricade what they believed was a holiday party that University of Iowa president Barbara Wilson hosted for some of the school’s financial donors and partners.

Some of the university’s partners include Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of RTX Corporation, and Lockheed Martin, both of whom are massive defense and weapons manufacturers. The companies work with the university’s engineering program to eventually hire graduates in their companies, while advancing their education in the field. The protesters believed that some representatives from these companies would be at the holiday party at Kinnick. 

Protesters barricading Gate F. Image via John Glab

The holiday party at Kinnick Stadium was held in a section of the Mediacom Outdoors Club deck, which occupies the second floor of the stadium, overlooking the field. The protesters’ goal was to disrupt this party, and to keep the donors from entering. However, the holiday party wasn’t for donors or corporate sponsors. It was for university staff members and their families. The party had several tables laid out with areas to decorate cookies, play with stuffed animals, interact with Herky, and a throne to tell Santa what they wanted as gifts. About a third of the attendees at the party were children who were engaging in all these activities with their parents. Instead of being a toast to some of the university’s controversial donors, it was just a relatively inconsequential holiday party. 

Along with this, protesters failed to actually barricade the entrances to keep people from entering. The large, cast-iron gates of the stadium were left open for people to walk through and access stairwells. Members of KRUI covering the protest were able to get behind the doors that the protesters chained themselves to. The party and any area of Kinnick was still easily accessible. The main entrance to the stadium was at the nearby bus terminal and was completely accessible. The demonstrators eventually realized this and marched up there with their banners, but did not make it too far before several squad cars rolled up on the scene.  

Inside of the holiday party. Image via Amman Hassan

When the University of Iowa Campus Police arrived, they initially stood watching the protesters. Eventually they responded swiftly and brutally to the protesters chained at Gate D. They seemed to have no care in harming the protesters chained to the doors, as they twisted their arms and wrists, even as they showed no resistance. One protester was crying out in agony to an officer who was twisting their wrist behind their back, but received no sympathy as the officer continued to use excessive force. Two other protesters were kneeled on as they were pressed into the pavement by officers while being detained. One other was seen being dragged away while in a limp position. This was all while protesters were peaceful, and not actually impeding entrances or safety exits. It appears as an unnecessary overreaction by campus police themselves. 

During the second set of arrests at Gate F, police were a lot more careful in removing those chained to the doors. This shift in behavior came after more phone cameras started recording their actions. Demonstrators were removed with the use of bolt cutters, and then zip-tied in handcuffs. Three other protesters were also there ready to give water and medical aid if need be. All three of the protesters acting as medics were doing the same thing, but the only non-white one of them seemed to be targeted and arrested. 

A protesters arm being twisted by police during arrest. Image via John Glab

Later in the evening after the demonstrators arrested were taken to the Johnson County jail, protesters sat outside in support of their fellow organizers. Charges given to the protesters included trespassing and impeding official proceedings, labeled a serious misdemeanor. Within the jail, some of the protesters were placed into solitary confinement, something typically unprecedented for non-violent crimes. Many were also denied medical care for their injuries sustained from being arrested. Along with this, protesters were also misgendered by being placed in the wrong gendered sections of the prison that didn’t correspond with their own identity. Outside, an observer was arrested without reason before being ordered by higher-ups in the police department to be let go. 

Below are documents of official statements from five of the nine protesters arrested, unedited and published in full. These were sent to KRUI by an organizer of the protest. 

Statement from Clara Reynen

Statement from Jenny Kula

Statement from Bellona Allou

Statement from Nix Slater-Scott

Statement from Kate Doolittle

The excessive actions by police in Iowa City, as seen with the response to the Kinnick protests, have been a noticeable trend. Many protesters who attended the demonstrations against Chloe Cole’s anti-trans lecture at the Iowa Memorial Union were arrested weeks later the event for similar crimes to those arrested at Kinnick, even though they were peaceful, non-violent and exercising their freedom of speech. Police also used tear gas and brutal force for many of the Black Lives Matter protests in the Summer of 2020. The trend seems to be a brutal crackdown on peaceful protests by the police themselves.  

A couple days later, on the night of December 12^th, many showed up to the last city council meeting of the calendar year to speak out against the senseless killings and bombings of Palestinians by the Israeli government. The goal was to get Johnson County to call for a ceasefire in Gaza in hopes that if more counties did so, it would put pressure on the federal government to stop aiding Israel in their war. Over fifty people came to the meeting to express their support for the Palestinian people, and a call for a ceasefire.  

Community members who called for a ceasefire standing outside of City Hall. Image via Amman Hassan

Among the people who spoke were Palestinian Iowa City residents who gave detailed stories of their experiences living in both the West Bank and Gaza. These recollections included how the IDF would harass Palestinians. One story told of how an IDF soldier shot a Palestinian man unprovoked, and showed no remorse, even when the man’s family and neighbors were crying out in grief. Others pointed out the utter humanitarian crisis that has been inflicted on the people in Gaza by the Israeli government. Almost no access to drinkable water, no access to medical supplies, the death toll that rises from the bombings, and the immense suffering caused to civilians with these weapons of war were just a few of the things mentioned in the plea to the city council members.  

The scene at city hall was a strong showing of community. Those who came out were sick of the incessant violence and called for an end to it. They felt complacent in the genocide since they paid taxes which the United States government used to help support the Israeli bombings. With all this intense opposition to the Israeli government’s slaughter of Palestinian civilians, the Iowa City community hopes that city council listens to their constituency and calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.

This article was written with aid from Amman Hassan.

The post Iowa City Community Members Demand a Ceasefire in Palestine appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The event featured two groups attempting to make their concerns heard. A sympathetic and pro-Palestinian majority, and a pro-Israeli minority. The protest featured many slogans and speakers, but some of the most prominent and consistent themes revolved around war crimes, American involvement, and Palestinian statehood. Specifically “from the river to the sea”, which insinuates a Palestinian state consisting of pre-1947 borders.

This slogan became a focal point of the pro-Israel protesters who considered it a statement of violence. The stakes of the statements made resulted in a supposed schism involving verbal altercations, including slurs and calls for self harm. I was able to speak to a wide variety of individuals representing both sides of this conflict, these are their voices.

Image via Amman Hassan

One of the most interesting people present at the event was Kolet, the aunt of Rachel Corrie, a 23-year-old American activist, who was murdered by an Israeli Bulldozer in Rafah, Gaza in 2003. Kolet has been working with Iowans for Palestine ever since. I asked her what her response was to the attacks and what an American response should look like. She responded by stating, “I don’t have a right to tell Israelis or Palestinians how to live their lives, but as an American, I believe it’s our responsibility to stand when we see things that are wrong, and that’s why I’m here. I would like them to call for a ceasefire and do what we’ve done in multiple other conflicts, which is to airdrop aid in Gaza. It’s not just (Joe) Biden, it’s (Antony) Blinken, it’s the state department, it’s the whole American government that’s responsible. This war did not start October 7th of 2023.”

Other individuals I spoke to were Mike Josephson, and his associate Newman Abuissa. The former is a Palestinian immigrant, who has lived in Iowa City for almost 50 years, and is the latter is the founder of the St. Raphael Orthodox Church. “The president’s response is disgraceful,” Josephson said. “Most people, when they do research, understand why what’s happening is wrong. The power of the media, the top one percent, and the Israeli lobby have outsized influence on our government. It boils down to respect and dignity of the human beings in Palestine. Before Israel, Palestine accommodated everybody. America must call for a cease fire and abide by international law.” Abuissa also commented on his involvement with the Iowa Democrats, and disappointment with Rita Hart’s condemnation of University of Iowa Democrats on the basis of antisemitism.

Image via Amman Hassan

One notable individual at the protest was Max, a resident of Iowa city who centered himself at the protest with an Israeli flag and megaphone defending the Jewish state and condemning the protesters. “October 7th was an eye opener that jews were being targeted. Israel has a right to defend itself, just like in 9/11.” I pressed Max on the 9/11 comparison and he acknowledged the long and ultimately negative consequences of the American response. However, he didn’t seem to apply similar logic to the Israeli reaction, calling for a strong military response. “I believe Israel should get rid of Hamas. These people were gunned down. Antisemitism has been rampant. People need to understand that they were killed for being Jewish. Without Israel, where would jews go?”

I also spoke to some of the other pro-Israel demonstrators, one of which who said they were a first year student at the University of Iowa, and a former exchange student and EMT in Israel. When speaking with them, it became evident that the focus of their interests and many of their pro-Israeli peers present, were those of antisemitism and violence. “I came here because I was scared. I wanted to make sure I didn’t see an Israeli flag getting burned. My friend’s from my gap year have been beaten up for holding up Israeli signs. I need to see if that’s happening on this campus so I know if I should go home for a while. The chants from the river to the sea really scare me. I’m very worried about it, and I’m very scared.”

Image via Amman Hassan

Despite their worries over anti semitic violence, they shared some sympathies for the Palestinian cause stating “I hope they will oust Hamas, get rid of them, and we could end the fighting. I want the fighting to end, I want to live side by side with them. They are amazing people. They are the same as me and you. Oust BB (Netanyahu). Get rid of the right wing government, they are horrible. Fix the systemic racism in Israel. Keep doing what you’re doing. Make sure Iran and Hezbollah don’t get involved. I promote aid being sent to the Palestinian people, just to make sure it doesn’t get to Hamas.”

After the speakers had all took their turns, the protesters began to march around the business district of downtown until circling back to the capital, where they got signatures, informed those present of how to get involved, and ultimately dissipated peacefully.

The post Protesters Gather at the Old Capital in Response to the Israel Palestine Conflict appeared first on KRUI Radio.