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Des Moines police arrest dozens after using tear gas

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May 31st, 2020 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police arrested more than two dozen people after using tear gas to break up a protest and stop vandalism near the Polk County Courthouse in downtown Des Moines. Live video from WOI-TV showed a small group of people spraying paint on the courthouse and breaking at least one window on the building’s first floor. Police arrived about 9:40 p.m. and shot tear gas about 10 minutes later, causing what appeared to be about 250 protesters to scatter.

The protest Saturday night started at the Des Moines police station and later moved across downtown. That incident and an earlier peaceful march were held to protest the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.