Seven people who were charged after protesting on the University of Iowa’s campus, including recently acquitted musician Tara McGovern, called for action on Thursday from the UI, City of Iowa City, and the state government.

The group cited numerous concerns with the UI Police Department, County Attorney Rachel Zimmermann Smith, mistreatment at the Johnson County jail, and actions by the Iowa Legislature that they claim are targeted toward transgender people and protesters.  

The press conference at Iowa City’s Wright House of Fashion at 910 S. Gilbert St. was organized in light of McGovern’s acquittal from two misdemeanor charges relating to a protest at the Iowa Memorial Union in October. McGovern, who uses they/them pronouns, was one of seven people charged nearly a month after the protest occurred. 

All seven of the people charged identify as transgender or nonbinary. 

McGovern was found not guilty by a jury Wednesday for both the simple misdemeanor of interfering with official acts and the serious misdemeanor of blocking the street. McGovern’s legal last name is Dutcher, however, they prefer McGovern. 

UIPD Detective Ian Mallory testified in court that the reason for the delay of criminal charges was due to him traveling shortly after the protest and not returning until Nov. 1. No one was arrested the night of the protest.

Body camera and surveillance footage showed McGovern followed police orders to vacate the lane of traffic police were trying to clear, and this was supported by the testimony of UIPD Officer Travis Tyrrell who was in charge of police coverage for the event that night. 

Tyrrell’s bodycam footage showed him physically moving multiple protestors to get them out of the way of the lane they were trying to clear. McGovern told Tyrrell in the video that protesting is not illegal and to get his hands off people.

No initial police reports of the protest mentioned McGovern or police interactions with them. During Mallory’s testimony, he said McGovern was identified nearly a month later when going through evidence at the county attorney’s office and added to the list of people UIPD planned to charge. 

Additionally, Mallory testified he asked Tyrrell to write a second report to supplement information on McGovern. Mallory testified he never read Tyrrell’s initial report that never mentioned McGovern.

Mallory testified he recognized McGovern because he actively surveilled social media accounts to assess threats in the community. Mallory said he remembered McGovern for their criticism in 2021 of the Johnson County Sheriff having an armored vehicle, called an MRAP, that is built to withstand explosives. 

While not all seven of the protesters at the Chloe Cole lecture attended the press conference, the group also consisted of people who protested Matt Walsh speaking at the IMU in April 2023. One individual, Clara Reynen, was one of nine arrested protesters who chained themselves to the doors of Kinnick Stadium in support of Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in December 2023. 

Emma Denney was one of the protesters who was charged at the Chloe Cole protest along with McGovern. Denney said on Thursday that UIPD abuses their power through social media surveillance tactics.

“Looking at the evidence from Tara’s trial and from my own police report at the University of Iowa, police have engaged in a campaign of intimidation and unjust surveillance against trans people, local activists, and frankly anyone else who speaks out and stands up for our community in Iowa City,” Denney said.

The group listed three demands, with the first being that UIPD be dissolved because they believe university police do not have enough oversight and are abusing their power. 

Second, that Iowa City stands up to Iowa legislation that does or could, if signed, negatively affect trans people and protesters.

McGovern’s charge of disorderly conduct would previously be considered a simple misdemeanor, which changed after Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the “Back the Blue Act” in 2021, heightening the charge to a serious misdemeanor.

Additionally, in an effort to protect other individuals coming to Johnson County from across the state, they demanded stipends for housing costs.

Denney explained these first two demands and McGovern finished with a poignant final request to university law enforcement.

“We would like law enforcement to get the fu** away from our protests,” McGovern said as applause and cheering echoed out from attendees. 

RELATED: ​​Iowa Memorial Union protester acquitted on all charges

Johnson County Supervisor Jon Green said at the press conference that there needs to be more done for trans individuals and protesters.

“We have an openly hostile state government that wants to destroy these people,” Green said.

Green led a failed attempt to censure Zimmermann Smith in February for the charges against the seven protesters at the Chloe Cole protest.

Also in attendance was Mandi Remington, a local activist and member of Iowa City’s Community Police Review Board. Remington said Iowa City does a good job of being outwardly accepting, but work can be done in standing up to the Iowa Legislature. 

“We need to make sure that no matter what is happening at the state levels, we are doing everything we can locally to mitigate it and to not participate in it,” Remington said.

Ryan Dolan, who is the father of Chloe Cole protester Chan Dolan, said he wanted to see oversight of the police because instances like this one shouldn’t happen again. 

 “I’m thinking about leaving, I really am,” Dolan said. “Iowa is going in the wrong direction.”

McGovern said they have made the personal choice not to protest on UI’s campus again. However, Reynen and others said they have full intention of participating in protests on campus.

“I will be damned if I let the University of Iowa police scare me away,” Reynen said.

Hayley Bruce, UI Campus Safety’s Public Information Officer, wrote in an email to The Daily Iowan that UIPD is committed to safety and the legal process.

“The primary goal of law enforcement during demonstrations is to ensure safety and protect free speech for both demonstrators and the community. We respect the legal process, will continue to uphold the law, and remain committed to public safety,” Bruce wrote.