Iowa City Man Accused of Assaulting Anti-Abortion Protester

(Ma)

Man Juhn John Ma of Iowa City has been charged with assault causing bodily injury -- a serious misdemeanor charge -- after allegedly punching a 78-year-old anti-abortion protester yesterday morning at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Highway 1 in Iowa City. According to Iowa City Patch, the protester was holding a sign protesting abortion was she was allegedly approached by Ma from behind and punched, which caused pain to right shoulder and arm. The woman's husband contacted the police:

As the officer arrived, Ma, unprompted by the officer, admitted he had punched the woman and that it was wrong, according to the complaint. When advised of his Miranda rights, Ma told the officer that he understood but that he found the idea of being anti-abortion "strange."

Ma was charged and released from the Johnson County Jail last night.

It was one year ago this month that I learned that Iowa City even has a Planned Parenthood clinic near where this woman was protesting. She apparently stands at that same intersection every Wednesday morning. I'm almost never driving through that intersection on Wednesday mornings, but happened to drive by her silent protest last Wednesday morning. To be honest, I almost didn't notice her. And even then, her protest sign reminded me of a KFC advertisement for some unknown reason. It took me a few moments to realize what I'd actually driven past!

Regardless, this is presumably the same woman whose anti-abortion protest disrupted last August by another Iowa City man when he grabbed and broke her protest sign.