DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Student protests, May-December 1971 | 1971-05-11 Daily Iowan Article: ""Police Brutality Reported In Anti-War Demonstration""

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Student protests, May-December 1971

1971-05-11 Daily Iowan Article: ""Police Brutality Reported In Anti-War Demonstration""

Police Brutality reported
                      DI       May 11 1971           
In Anti-War  Demonstration
   
By Staff-Writers                                   
 
Reports of police roughness in the arrests of several persons in demonstration last Thursday in Iowa City have been revealed by three eye witnesses. 
 According to reports from Alex Johnson , G, a daily Iowan photographer who was assigned to the demonstrations, a young women was beaten when a group of 20 police charged on a group of 15 students who were just "milling around".
 The incident, which took place at the corner of Clinton and College Streets, began when a policeman, "riot shield in place."   told the women to leave immediately. When she asked him repeatedly where she should go,  he began to "stiff arm" her and "there was a loud slapping thud on the leather jacket she was wearing."
 "What do you want me to do? Disintegrate? Don't you understand I just want to go home? But there are police all around."  Johnson reports her saying.  When she continued protesting , the officer arrested her and dragged her away, Johnson said.
 Johnson also says that he witnessed similar treatment being out to a man about ten feet away from the woman.
 When Iowa City Police Chief Patrick McCarney was told the story he told the Daily Iowan.  "I think it is a result of the boys not having slept in two days. I don't believe they would have reacted like that under ordinary circumstances."
 A young couple, Katherine  "Polly" Parrott and Larry McClure, also experienced similar treatment at the same intersection. McClure told the Daily Iowan that he and Parrott were on their way home from visiting friends between 10 and 12 pm. Thursday when they came to the intersection to find "several people on the street, but more cops than people."
  McClure says that although they were on the side walk, the police stopped them and told them they couldn't go in the direction they planned. When they turned around to go, another policeman told them that they couldn't go that way either. 
  After turning once again to their original direction, somebody grabbed Parrott's hair, McClure says. 
  "I said, "You can't get away with  this" he told the daily Iowan. " I got one across the nose and the four to six officers roughed us up.
  McClure received a cut on his nose, skinned elbows and bruised ribs. He alleges in the melee one cop put a night -
stick across his neck.  Parrott has numerous abrasions covering her body.
  The couple was released from county jail at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.  No medical attention had been given the two, although Parrott is pregnant.
  Bond for McClure was set at $1000and for Parrott at $105. Parrott's hearing has been set for 10 a.m. today and McClur's has been set for 8 a.m. Friday.
  Dan Johnston, a Des Moines lawyer whom the two asked to handle their cases, says that he has asked the court for a continuous since he has another case in Des Moines today.
  However, Police court Judge Joseph Thornton has reportedly said he will not grant the continuance. Thornton was not available for comment.

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Police Brutality reported DI May 11 1971 In Anti-War Demonstration By Staff-Writers Reports of police roughness in the arrests of several persons in demonstration last Thursday in Iowa City have been revealed by three eye witnesses. According to reports from Alex Johnson , G, a daily Iowan photographer who was assigned to the demonstrations, a young women was beaten when a group of 20 police charged on a group of 15 students who were just "milling around". The incident, which took place at the corner of Clinton and College Streets, began when a policeman, "riot shield in place." told the women to leave immediately. When she asked him repeatedly where she should go, he began to "stiff arm" her and "there was a loud slapping thud on the leather jacket she was wearing." "What do you want me to do? Disintegrate? Don't you understand I just want to go home? But there are police all around." Johnson reports her saying. When she continued protesting , the officer arrested her and dragged her away, Johnson said. Johnson also says that he witnessed similar treatment being out to a man about ten feet away from the woman. When Iowa City Police Chief Patrick McCarney was told the story he told the Daily Iowan. "I think it is a result of the boys not having slept in two days. I don't believe they would have reacted like that under ordinary circumstances." A young couple, Katherine "Polly" Parrott and Larry McClure, also experienced similar treatment at the same intersection. McClure told the Daily Iowan that he and Parrott were on their way home from visiting friends between 10 and 12 pm. Thursday when they came to the intersection to find "several people on the street, but more cops than people." McClure says that although they were on the side walk, the police stopped them and told them they couldn't go in the direction they planned. When they turned around to go, another policeman told them that they couldn't go that way either. After turning once again to their original direction, somebody grabbed Parrott's hair, McClure says. "I said, "You can't get away with this" he told the daily Iowan. " I got one across the nose and the four to six officers roughed us up. McClure received a cut on his nose, skinned elbows and bruised ribs. He alleges in the melee one cop put a night - stick across his neck. Parrott has numerous abrasions covering her body. The couple was released from county jail at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. No medical attention had been given the two, although Parrott is pregnant. Bond for McClure was set at $1000and for Parrott at $105. Parrott's hearing has been set for 10 a.m. today and McClur's has been set for 8 a.m. Friday. Dan Johnston, a Des Moines lawyer whom the two asked to handle their cases, says that he has asked the court for a continuous since he has another case in Des Moines today. However, Police court Judge Joseph Thornton has reportedly said he will not grant the continuance. Thornton was not available for comment.