The following statement can be attributed to ACLU of Iowa Executive Director Mark Stringer. It has been updated to address curfews throughout Iowa.
"These mandatory stay-at-home orders are the wrong way to handle disruptions in otherwise peaceful protests. Curfews that bar all presence in public are far broader than necessary to address problems at protests and could interfere with necessary activities like providing care to others.
"By making someone’s presence in public anywhere unlawful, these measures give police too much discretion over whom to arrest and will lead to selective and biased enforcement and risk harassment of people who are unhoused. It’s important that the press be allowed to freely cover these important events.
"Tomorrow, June 2, is Iowa’s Primary Election Day; a day in which Iowans are able to exercise their right to vote. It’s imperative that enforcement of any curfew must not interfere with people going to and returning from their polling place.
"We call on county and city leaders, along with law enforcement, to listen, not instigate or escalate, to protect protestors’ rights, and to take meaningful action on longstanding concerns of Black and brown communities such as considering public health and safety strategies that do not rely on or fund police over pressing needs."