A McGregor man was arrested and charged with assault for targeting and assaulting pro-abortion rights protesters last Friday in a town park.
On July 22, 61-year-old Ronald Paradine approached a group protesting the overturn of Roe v. Wade at Triangle Park in McGregor, Iowa. In video footage from protesters first reported on by Iowa Starting Line, he walks across the street hurling curses:
“Film me all you want,” he shouts. “Baby killing [expletive] are gonna rot in hell.”
Seconds later, Paradine begins striking protesters until Mar-Mac Police arrive and arrest him after 6 p.m. According to the police report, he admitted to the assault and said it was because he was “very upset with the protesting going on … which he was against.”
Paradine spent a night in the Clayton County jail before paying a $50 cash bond. He was only required by the court to pay 10% of the set bail. The court has not set a date for his hearing.
IPR News contacted Paradine on Friday morning. He declined to comment.
Police said in a press release that the protesters were “lawfully demonstrating” and characterized the assault as “unprovoked.”
Among the people assaulted was the protester who recorded the incident. He agreed to speak with IPR News under the condition that he was only identified as a teacher from the area.
“It makes me feel like we are living at a time when things are very charged and very emotional and the emotions seem to be overruling science, rationality and respect for other humans,” he said. “That worries me.”
Remembering the man who drove through a line of protesters in Cedar Rapids injuring at least two, he said, it’s hard to explain to his students who have questions about these attacks are happening.
“It seems like I’m living in a different place than I was several months ago or five years ago,” he said.
