DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines Black Lives Matter organizer is out of jail after turning himself in Wednesday.
24-year-old Matthew Bruce was in the Polk County Jail for about 25 minutes before being released just before noon Wednesday. He faces First Degree Criminal Mischief for his part in vandalizing a police cruiser Saturday during a protest at a Hy-Vee store in Southeast Des Moines.
The demonstration was in support of a former Hy-Vee worker in who says she experienced racial discrimination at work.
Bruce was accompanied to the Des Moines Police station by Democratic State Representative Ako Abdul Samad, who has been a negotiator between protesters and police over the past several weeks.
Bruce faces a felony charge that carries penalties of up to 10 years in prison and $10,000 in fines. The police cruiser was sprayed painted and stripped it of its police logo decal, which was lit on fire by protesters. Demonstrators also climbed on top of the cruiser and jumped on it Saturday.
About 30-40 protesters met Bruce when he was released from jail.
(Image courtesy of WHO-TV)