729.5 Violation of individual rights — penalty.
1. A person, who acts alone, or who conspires with another person or persons, to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate or interfere with any citizen in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to that person by the constitution or laws of the state of Iowa or by the constitution or laws of the United States, and assembles with one or more persons for the purpose of teaching or being instructed in any technique or means capable of causing property damage, bodily injury or death when the person or persons intend to employ those techniques or means in furtherance of the conspiracy, is on conviction, guilty of a class “D” felony.
2. A person intimidates or interferes with another person if the act of the person results in any of the following:
a. Physical injury to the other person.
b. Physical damage to or destruction of the other person’s property.
c. Communication in a manner, or action in a manner, intended to result in either of the following:
(1) To place the other person in fear of physical contact which will be injurious, insulting, or offensive, coupled with the apparent ability to execute the act.
(2) To place the other person in fear of harm to the other person’s property, or harm to the person or property of a third person.
3. This section does not make unlawful the teaching of any technique in self-defense.
4. This section does not make unlawful any activity of any of the following officials or persons:
a. Law enforcement officials of this or any other jurisdiction while engaged in the lawful performance of their official duties.
b. Federal officials required to carry firearms while engaged in the lawful performance of their official duties.
c. Members of the armed forces of the United States or the national guard while engaged in the lawful performance of their official duties.
d. Any conservation commission, law enforcement agency, or any agency licensed to provide security services, or any hunting club, gun club, shooting range, or other organization or entity whose primary purpose is to teach the safe handling or use of firearms, archery equipment, or other weapons or techniques employed in connection with lawful sporting or other lawful activity.
88 Acts, ch 1163, §1; 90 Acts, ch 1139, §2; 92 Acts, ch 1157, §7; 2013 Acts, ch 90, §237