Al Womble, chair of the Iowa Democratic Black Caucus | facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3352767258165356&set=a.190617704380343
Al Womble, chair of the Iowa Democratic Black Caucus | facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3352767258165356&set=a.190617704380343
A Zoom meeting with Black Democratic lawmakers on the night of Jan. 7 was interrupted by racist propaganda.
The Des Moines Register reported that Zoom bombers hijacked the “People’s Condition of the State” by deploying racial slurs, racist depictions, violent threats and swastikas.
The Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO and Progress Iowa hosted the meeting to discuss legislative priorities ahead of the 2022 session.
“That’s why it’s crucial all Iowans speak up and hold those accountable for bigoted actions and statements,” state Rep. Ross Wilburn (D-Ames) tweeted. “No matter what we look like or how we got here, we’re all Iowans at the end of the day and should treat each other with dignity and respect.”
The online attacks occurred halfway through the meeting, according to participants.
Al Womble, the chairman of the Iowa Democratic Black Caucus, told Des Moines CBS affiliate KCCI, that one threat came after the other as he tried to shut the meeting down.
“Once one threat came up, I tried to make sure I shut it down, then another threat would come up," Womble told the station.
He said that there were multiple instances in the past two years where similar incidents occurred.
“It’s disturbing, but it’s not going to stop us from continuing to do our work — organize, inform and mobilize people into action," Womble said, the Des Moines Register reported.
West Des Moines police are investigating the incident.
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