Iowa City police seek protesters struck by a car Friday night

After a vehicle drove into a crowd of protesters on Friday, Iowa City police are asking for protesters hit by the vehicle to contact the police to aid in an investigation.

Sarah Watson, Executive Editor

The Iowa City Police Department is seeking more information from protesters struck by a car that drove into a group of Iowa Freedom Riders protesters on Friday after locating the vehicle. According to a media release by the department, police personnel in an unmarked police car saw a vehicle speeding east on Burlington Street away from protesters in the intersection of Burlington and Gilbert Streets. The officer noted the license plate number, but wasn’t aware the vehicle had hit protesters. The officer didn’t pursue due to congested traffic and pedestrians, according to the release.

At about 8:30 p.m., when protesters stood in a circle at the intersection of Gilbert and Burlington, a car accelerated, hitting at least two people and sped away. A video of the incident circled on social media over the weekend. According to several protesters interviewed by The Daily Iowan at the scene, no one was seriously injured.

 

No reports were made to the police by “protesters, observers, or the driver of the vehicle,” the release stated.

The police department urged anyone “who was struck by the vehicle” to contact Iowa City Police Investigator Mike Smithey at 319-356-5452 to provide information to assist with the investigation.