Who was Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk?
Right-wing talk show host and activist Charlie Kirk founded the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA in 2012.
A University of Iowa student has been arrested on misdemeanor charges for allegedly twice flipping tables during conservative student events in Iowa City.
Niko Calhoon, 19, who was charged as Justin Pham Calhoon, faces counts of disorderly conduct and third-degree harassment after authorities said she flipped a table at the University of Iowa’s chapter of Turning Point USA’s “Cocoa and Conservatives” tabling event on Wednesday, Nov. 5.
A week earlier, a warrant was issued after Calhoon allegedly flipped a table during a Young Americans for Freedom event Oct. 27. An arrest warrant was issued on misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct, fifth-degree criminal mischief and third-degree harassment on Nov. 3.
University of Iowa Police Department officers arrested Calhoon Wednesday.
Two videos of a person flipping tables have been circulating on social media and have collected more than a million views.
A 25-second video shared by the University of Iowa Turning Point USA chapter allegedly shows a person approaching the Turning Point USA event outside the Tippie College of Business. Calhoon reportedly was offered hot chocolate as part of the “Cocoa and Conservatives” event, according to police. Calhoon declined, then allegedly flipped the table.
Police said the students at the table were “frazzled” by Calhoon’s actions.
The local chapter of Turning Point USA did not immediately return the Press-Citizen’s request for comment.
Turning Point USA founded by the late Charlie Kirk
The late Charlie Kirk founded the Turning Point USA organization in 2012. The nonprofit, which has established chapters at college campuses across the country, encourages its members to “restore traditional American values like patriotism, respect for life, liberty, family, and fiscal responsibility.”
UI student allegedly flips table at Young Americans for Freedom event
Video of the table flipping at the YAF event Oct. 27 was posted on the official Young America’s Foundation Instagram on Oct. 28. It shows a person taking down the table, then flipping off the camera.
A YAF member told UI police they were concerned “for her personal safety and wellbeing” and “potential future threats.”
The local Young Americans for Freedom chapter did not respond to the Press-Citizen’s request for comment.
Video of UI student flipping tables spreads on social media
The video posted by the UI Turning Point USA Chapter was shared on social media by Iowa state Rep. Taylor Collins, a member of the Iowa House Higher Education Committee, who wrote, “This student has been identified and taken into custody. This behavior may be tolerated at Berkeley, but not in the State of Iowa.”
The video has an overlay of an X post from Cabot Phillips, the senior editor at The Daily Wire, who was hosting a campus event called “How to Destroy America- The USA’s Most Dangerous Trends.”
“Shout-out to the tolerant leftists trying to keep me from speaking at the University of Iowa. It ain’t going to happen,” Phillips said in his social media post.
Phillips also responded to the interaction at the Turning Point USA event in an X post on Nov. 6. The post includes videos of both the incidents, Calhoon’s mugshot and a list of charges.
“I love a story with a happy ending. Shout out to the student who tried to keep me and other conservatives from campus,” Phillips wrote on X. “I’ll come visit you in jail for my next event. Hope you can attend [red heart emoji].”
Calhoon told the Press-Citizen their prefered first name is Niko. She declined to comment further.
University of Iowa to investigate possible code of conduct violations
The University of Iowa, in a statement to the Press-Citizen, said the school will investigate the incidents for potential violations of the student code.
“While the outcomes of these investigations are considered confidential, discipline is based on the severity of the violation,” the university said in a statement.
“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.”
Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and education reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_
