And of course the local Democrat pols claim that by stating the facts cops are doing something wrong, but in many of the incidents the police are being targeted as well.

From the Des Moines Register:

Des Moines police are trying to determine what led to a series of attacks outside the Iowa State Fairgrounds over the weekend that included the assault of two police officers.

At least three people were arrested Friday through early Monday morning. Other arrests may occur as officers investigate the incidents, officials said.

“We don’t know if this was juveniles fighting or a group of kids singling out white citizens leaving the fairgrounds,” Sgt. Lori Lavorato said. “It’s all under investigation, but it’s very possible it has racial overtones.”

Officials announced last week that they were stepping up security outside the fairgrounds after a series of attacks Aug. 14 that included a pair of stabbings. Investigators are still investigating those assaults and victims intend to pursue charges.

Sgt. David Murillo stated in a report on Friday night, “On-duty officers at the fairgrounds advise there was a group of 30 to 40 individuals roaming the fairgrounds openly calling it ‘beat whitey night.’ “

Sounds pretty clear that there were racial overtones to the violence. But not according to State Representative Ak0 Abdul-Samad, who is actively minimizing the criminality of the assailants:

Jammie Carroll, 36, of Polk City, was seriously injured in the 3000 block of East Grand Avenue Friday night after a group of people beat him up, causing severe injuries to his eyes, cheekbones and nose, Murillo wrote. Carroll is white, and many of the suspects are black, police said.

State Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad, D-Des Moines, who has worked to fight gang-related violence, said he doesn’t have enough information to decide if the fights were racially motivated. He said police comments that race was involved could miss other factors, such as nonracial taunting.

“Unfortunately, like any other city, you have certain parts of town that individuals congregate in,” Abdul-Samad said. “You have those that go into that area with no problem, and those who cannot.”

Samad here seems to be saying that Whites can’t go into “Black” areas of the city they live in expecting to not be attacked … but that isn’t racially motivated violence?

Meanwhile the violence was severe enough to scare residents not involved, and it should. Welcome to post-racial America where the class and race warfare rhetoric popular with the left and disseminated in schools has created a generation of people who think beating up White folk is acceptable:

About 10:30 p.m. Sunday, two police officers were attacked as they waded into a combative crowd outside the fairgrounds’ main gates at East 30th Street and Grand Avenue.

Sgt. Richard Schuett and reserve Officer Lynn Hubbs both complained of head, neck and back pain after being punched from behind while trying to make arrests.

“There were pockets of people fighting,” Schuett said. “People were leaving the fair and they were walking into the middle of them. We were trying to move people along but some of them wouldn’t move.”

A police report says Schuett “was on the ground fighting with his suspect, and several other females began to attack him.” Another officer grabbed one of the attackers and tried to make an arrest, but she spun away.

Officers sprayed chemical deterrent and deployed a stun gun while trying to gain control. Two teenage girls were taken into custody for questioning following that incident.

Also Sunday night and early Monday:

– Beth Longen, 25, of Des Moines was at the gas pumps at the QuikTrip store, East 30th Street and University Avenue, taking video of the crowd when she was assaulted about 11:20 p.m., police said. A 17-year-old girl allegedly slapped Longen and threatened her in front of police officers. The teen was one of several taken to police headquarters and later released to parents.

– Earl Tice, 17, of Des Moines was attacked near East 30th Street and Grand Avenue about 9:45 p.m. Sunday. He told officers he was jumped while leaving the fair. Tice was having X-rays taken at a hospital when police took a report from his mother. Officials said he had been kicked and punched.

[…]

Laurie Christensen, a resident of Walker Street near the fairgrounds, said she’s never seen such hostility around the fairgrounds.

Groups “have been openly taunting the police – in the street right to their faces,” she said. “We found some of them that ran from the police hiding in our backyard.”

Thanks Democrats! A few decades of telling Black kids all Whites are “oppressors” has nothing to do with this, I’m sure.

Update: The Smoking Gun has scans of the police reports.