Woman hospitalized after pickup collides with protesters at Iowa pro-choice rally

CEDAR RAPIDS – After the Supreme Court struck down Roe V Wade and abortion rights, an Iowa pro-choice protest got ugly Friday when a pickup truck driver drove through an intersection and struck protesters, sending one to a hospital.

Cedar Rapids police say that at approximately 7:17 p.m. on Friday, June 24, 2022, only a single pedestrian was injured by contact with a vehicle in the area of 8th Avenue and 2nd Street SE in Cedar Rapids. Preliminary police investigations indicate a group of pro-choice protesters were attempting to legally cross the street in front of the Federal Courthouse when the traffic lights changed, giving right of way to vehicles on 8th Avenue. Following verbal confrontations between the protestors and a driver, contact was made between a vehicle and one of the pedestrians.

Cedar Rapids Police quickly responded to the scene. The injured pedestrian was interviewed on-scene by CRPD and then taken by private vehicle to a local hospital for evaluation. The driver of the vehicle was also voluntarily interviewed by Cedar Rapids Police.

Police claim injury to the pedestrian “appears to be minor”. Cedar Rapids Police are canvasing the scene to obtain potential surveillance video, and seem to be working an investigation into the incident.

Others, however, claim more than one pedestrian was struck by the pickup truck driver. Other witnesses claim the female passenger inside the pickup was screaming at the male driver to stop as the pickup pushed forward. Video and other images going viral on social media show the pickup pushing multiple women forward with his vehicle.

No arrests or charges appear to have been made, yet, in the case.

Protests nationwide are raging after the court’s decision to make abortion illegal.