Bradley Jay Nall, a 68-year-old Des Moines man, was charged with simple assault and fifth-degree criminal mischief after he confronted a group of anti-Trump protesters on an Interstate 235 overpass in August 2025. He entered an Alford plea the following month and was sentenced to one year of probation, $210 in fines plus court fees, victim restitution, and a five-year no-contact order. No jail time was imposed.1Des Moines Register. Bradley Nall Fine Probation After Assaulting Anti-Trump Protesters
What Happened on the 56th Street Bridge
On the evening of August 12, 2025, five protesters led by activist Heather Ryan gathered on the 56th Street overpass above Interstate 235 in Des Moines. They used bungee cords to hang placards on the bridge railing, each carrying a letter or symbol so that drivers below would read “TRUMP = HITLER.”2Des Moines Register. Man Who Allegedly Tore Down Anti-Trump Signs Charged With Assault
Police said Nall stopped his vehicle on the bridge, climbed over a railing to reach the sidewalk, and approached the group aggressively.3KCCI. Des Moines Man Arrested for Assault at Trump Protest He tore signs from the fencing while shouting profanities. During the confrontation he pushed a sign one of the women was holding, striking her in the head, and threw another sign at Ryan.2Des Moines Register. Man Who Allegedly Tore Down Anti-Trump Signs Charged With Assault Ryan later called the encounter “surreal and terrifying.”
The Video and What Followed
One of the protesters recorded the roughly one-minute confrontation. Ryan posted the footage to Facebook, and according to KCCI it produced an “upswell of support” for the group.3KCCI. Des Moines Man Arrested for Assault at Trump Protest Des Moines police used the video to identify Nall.4WHO13. Des Moines Man Arrested for Assault at Anti-Trump Protest
Nall started a GoFundMe titled “SUPPORT FOR PATRIOT STANDING UP FOR TRUMP,” saying he had been doxxed. He wrote that he was “just an ordinary working man who took a stand against people who want to try to slander President Trump’s name and malign him with Adolf Hitler.”2Des Moines Register. Man Who Allegedly Tore Down Anti-Trump Signs Charged With Assault The page collected at least $240 before it was taken down.1Des Moines Register. Bradley Nall Fine Probation After Assaulting Anti-Trump Protesters
The Charges Under Iowa Law
Nall was arrested on August 20, 2025, and charged with two simple misdemeanors: assault and fifth-degree criminal mischief. He was released on citations to appear in court and not held in the Polk County Jail.4WHO13. Des Moines Man Arrested for Assault at Anti-Trump Protest
Simple assault is Iowa’s baseline assault classification, covering assaults that do not involve a dangerous weapon, intent to inflict serious injury, or resulting bodily injury.5Justia. Iowa Code Section 708.2 – Penalties A simple misdemeanor in Iowa carries a maximum penalty of $855 in fines and up to 30 days in jail.6Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code Section 903.1
Plea and Sentence
On September 9, 2025, Nall entered an Alford plea to both counts. Under that type of plea, a defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges the prosecution’s evidence would likely lead to a conviction. Magistrate Adnan Mahmutagic accepted the plea, citing what the court described as “strong evidence of Defendant’s guilt.”1Des Moines Register. Bradley Nall Fine Probation After Assaulting Anti-Trump Protesters
The sentence included one year of probation, $210 in fines plus court fees and surcharges, victim restitution, and a five-year no-contact order with the protester he struck.1Des Moines Register. Bradley Nall Fine Probation After Assaulting Anti-Trump Protesters