Docs: Man charged with intimidation for threatening protestors at ‘No Kings’ rally in Bloomington

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — A man is facing a felony count of intimidation after police say he threatened protestors during the “No Kings” rally that was hosted in Bloomington this past weekend.

According to court documents obtained by FOX59/CBS4, Bloomington police were called on Saturday to the intersection of N. Walnut Street and W. Kirkwood Avenue in response to a disturbance being reported in the area.

Callers reported observing a protester who had tackled a male, who police later identified as Hyun Joon Kim, and was holding him down until officers arrived on the scene. The probable cause affidavit noted that this occurred at the same time that a “large political protest” was unfolding on the square, referencing the “No Kings” rally to protest the actions taken by President Donald Trump and his administration.

Several of these rallies were hosted in Indiana and across the country in recent weeks. Most recently, protestors gathered at the Indiana Statehouse on Saturday afternoon, where they held signs criticizing Trump.

One of the responding officers recalled seeing a black backpack on the ground near a black 2000 Honda Accord that had been parked in the crosswalk of the intersection, court documents said. The officer also found a black tactical vest near the vehicle.

One of the witnesses then approached the officer and shared that he had tackled the suspect. This occurred after the witness said Kim parked his vehicle in the crosswalk on N. Walnut Street. He then exited the vehicle and proceeded to allegedly smash its windows with a large pole. He proceeded to continue waving the large pole in an aggressive way toward protestors while reportedly telling them to “get back,” the affidavit said.

As protestors began to run away from Kim, the witness told police he reportedly observed the suspect reach for his backpack. Fearing that the suspect was reaching for a weapon or an explosive device, the witness said he tackled Kim to the ground and held him there until law enforcement arrived.

The affidavit shows that police spoke with another witness who corroborated this information. The second witness said Kim could be overheard allegedly saying multiple “incoherent” statements, including: “This was the key to the frequency” and “to contact Mike and Fred, they would know what to do.”

At one point during their conversation, the second witness said Kim handed him the keys to his vehicle while telling him to “take his keys and run,” the affidavit said.

As part of their investigation, officers sifted through video footage provided by an unknown citizen. The affidavit said Kim can be seen in the footage parking his car in the crosswalk and allegedly smashing one of its rear driver-side windows with a large stick. The suspect then reportedly walked toward the second witness, who police believe was trying to de-escalate the situation by speaking with Kim and even hugging him at one point.

Kim then went back to his vehicle before remerging and appearing to hand something to the witness. The footage then shows Kim appearing to head north on Walnut Street before turning south. The suspect can then be seen holding his “arms up sideways as if challenging people to a fight,” the affidavit said.

Around the same time, protestors were continuing to flee the area as Kim returned to his car. He then appeared to reach for what police later determined to be a tactical armor carrier vest. It was at that moment that the first witness can be seen tackling Kim to the ground, according to the affidavit.

Kim was placed under arrest and transported to the Monroe County Jail. He faces a Level 5 felony charge for intimidation and disorderly conduct, which is a Class B misdemeanor.

According to online court records, Kim appeared in Monroe Circuit Court 5 for an initial hearing early Tuesday afternoon.