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A University of Iowa student was arrested Wednesday after being caught on video overturning a conservative group’s table full of hot chocolate.
Justin Pham Calhoon, 19, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, criminal mischief, and harassment, The Iowa Pulse reports.
A university spokesperson also confirmed the arrest to The College Fix on Thursday.
“Law enforcement has identified and arrested the individual responsible,” spokesperson Chris Brewer stated via email.
“All Iowa students are expected to follow the Code of Student Life, which sets standards for student behavior and conduct. While the outcome of these investigations are considered confidential, discipline is based on the severity of the violation,” Brewer said when asked if the student will face disciplinary measures from the university.
Calhoon allegedly targeted a “Cocoa and conservatives” table that the University of Iowa Turning Point USA chapter set up Wednesday to promote its fall activities.
A video that the chapter posted on Instagram, later shared by Frontlines TPUSA on X, showed the student overturn the table, toppling dozens of buttons and hot chocolate cups onto the ground.
“Well it was sure a successful day of tabling despite the table flipping we had (but justice is being served)!” the UI TPUSA chapter wrote on Instagram. “We had a lot of people interested in our chapter today AND signed up, which is amazing!
“This chapter will only continue to grow and we have a lot of amazing things planned for our chapter for the rest of the semester and year! Keep showing up everyone, and God bless!” it wrote.
Sophia Maize, a field representative for TPUSA, said she witnessed the incident while tabling with the chapter leaders.
“They handled it with grace and maturity, we picked up the table and kept going!” Maize wrote on X. “Use this as motivation to keep standing firm on what you believe in.”
In light of what happened, the university spokesperson reaffirmed the public institution’s commitment to free speech.
“The University of Iowa is fully committed to Free Speech, requiring First Amendment Training for all students annually and frequently communicating expectations for tolerating different viewpoints,” Brewer stated.
Meanwhile, Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips said he believes Calhoon is the same student who flipped over another conservative group’s table on campus earlier this month.
“This same student literally did the exact same thing last week ahead of my event there,” Phillips wrote on X, posting a photo and video of what appeared to be Calhoon.
In recent weeks, a number of conservative campus groups have been targeted in similar incidents.
Last week, Oklahoma State University confirmed its police are investigating the trashing of a Young America’s Foundation display on campus. The display included a large sign that stated, “Marriage = 1 man + 1 woman.”
An Illinois State University graduate teaching assistant was fired this month after overturning a Turning Point USA table on campus. The former employee was later arrested for posts allegedly threatening President Donald Trump’s life, The College Fix reported.
Another Turning Point USA chapter at Fort Lewis College in Colorado also reported several posters being vandalized, The Fix reported.
And University of Oklahoma police launched an investigation into the theft of signs advertising a campus Turning Point USA event with Gov. Kevin Stitt and actor Russell Brand, according to a Fix report at the time.
MORE: UCLA ‘hate crime’ involving ‘wads of paper’ has ‘no leads’ police say
