Six protestors at UI Chloe Cole lecture charged with disorderly conduct, interference with official acts

The charges were made almost a month after the protest and lecture occurred.

Alejandro Rojas, News Editor

November 16, 2023

Activists engage with local law enforcement after a Young Americans for Freedom hosted event in the Iowa Memorial Union’s Blackbox Theater in Iowa City featuring Chloe Cole, a person who detransitioned, on Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. Pro-Transgender activists protested outside the IMU and later blocked the N Madison St. and W Jefferson St. intersection. The protest concluded in front of University of Iowa president Barbara Wilson’s residence on Church St.

After a protest against the lecture of conservative speaker Chloe Cole on Oct. 16, six people were charged with disorderly conduct and interference with official acts.

Students and residents protested the lecture of Cole, who was invited by the conservative UI student group Young Americans for Freedom. Around 150 people gathered for the protest, holding signs that read “Let trans people exist,” and “You can’t legislate away trans people,” among others. Protestors gathered on the road and Iowa City and UI police redirected traffic.

Later, after cars broke through, protestors blocked 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.

According to police reports provided to The Daily Iowan, the following individuals were charged:

Tara Dutcher, Jean Horbuckle, Chan Dolan, and Emma Denney are facing charges of interference with official acts and disorderly conduct for obstructing a street, sidewalk, or highway.

Vincent Shoppa was charged with disorderly conduct for obstructing a street, sidewalk, or highway and Harry Manaligod is facing interference with official acts and disorderly conduct for obstructing a street, sidewalk, or highway charges.

Police reports explain the offenses committed. The report on Manaligod writes that they reportedly used a megaphone to “encourage civil disobedience” and also said, “Don’t let the police tell you what to do.”

According to the report for Denney, she reportedly “hip-checked” an officer who was attempting to escort her out of the roadway.

Although the protest took place on Oct. 16, people are only now being charged due to an investigation into what happened, UI’s Campus Safety Public Information Officer Hayley Bruce wrote in an email to the DI.

“Not all person’s identities were known immediately after the event,” Bruce wrote in her email. “Officers had to review evidence, identify individuals involved, and confer with the Johnson County Attorney’s Office.”

She also said that members of the community are free to exercise their First Amendment rights provided it doesn’t break the law. The six people reportedly broke the law by obstructing the street or the police.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this article misidentified some of the individuals mentioned. The article has been updated to correctly identify them. The DI regrets this error.