Des Moines Black Lives Matter is calling for the firing of Des Moines Police Chief Dana Wingert and Public Information Officer Sgt. Paul Parizek.
Matthew Bruce, the organizer of the group, spoke shortly after being released from jail on Wednesday. Bruce was charged with first degree criminal mischief for his part in a protest on Saturday at a Des Moines Hy-Vee that resulted in a police vehicle suffering extensive damage.
After he spoke, the Black Lives Matter supporters performed a few chants.
One chant asked how you spell racist. The answer was “DMPD.” The next question was how you spell fascist. The answer was still “DMPD.”
The group then turned its attention to taunting Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, who has already met with the group twice. It was Des Moines Black Lives Matter who broke the news that Reynolds had promised their group she would sign an executive order to provide automatic restoration of felons’ voting rights.
“Let’s not forget about Kim Reynolds needing to sign the bill to reinfranchise 60,000 Iowans to vote in November,” another speaker said, referring to the executive order – not “the bill.”
She went on to really go after Reynolds.
“Let’s not forget that Kim Reynolds was about this far from being a felon herself,” she said.
“She’s a drunk,” said one of the protesters.
“She’s a hypocrite,” said another.
“Let us not forget, because things were pulled, and her second DUI turned into a first. Now Kim, I don’t think they’re going to do that for a third,” she said. “So you’d better sign the executive order so you can vote girl next time you drink and drive.”
Bruce then used the megaphone to say “Hey Kim, use your pen, sign that shit.”
The crowd then chanted “use your pen, sign that shit.”
