An assistant attorney general in Iowa is suing the city of Des Moines and its police chief over his arrest during a June 2020 racial justice protest.
Assistant Attorney General Paxton Williams alleges he was tackled, pepper-sprayed and handcuffed for no reason. The Des Moines Register reports that the lawsuit is among eight cases filed against the Des Moines police over their actions during protests following George Floyd's death in the custody of Minneapolis police.
Paxton’s lawsuit, filed May 31, alleges police used unnecessary and excessive force. The police have not responded to an email seeking comment Tuesday.
The attorney general's office declined to comment, calling the lawsuit a “personal matter.”
The Register said Paxton participated in a protest the day after one of the newspaper's reporters, Andrea Sahouri, was arrested for failure to disperse and interference with official acts. She was since acquitted.
