By Kevin J. Marshall, Heartland Public Ledger, Des Moines, Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa — A 23-year-old man who said he was protesting rising crime in downtown Des Moines by wearing homemade armor constructed from aluminum soda cans was fired from his job this week after arriving late for his shift and causing a disturbance that required police intervention.
According to police and store officials, the man arrived at a local Walmart wearing a bulky suit of armor made from approximately 146 Mountain Lightning cans, Walmart’s store-brand citrus soda, along with plastic fasteners and parts produced on a home 3D printer.
The man told officers he had walked to work in the armor hoping it would spark conversations about public safety and crime.
“He said he wanted people to ask him why he was dressed that way,” said Des Moines police spokesperson Sgt. Laura Nguyen. “He described it as a form of peaceful protest.”
The plan did not unfold as intended.
Store management said the man reported to work about 17 minutes late after struggling to remove the armor in the employee restroom. When informed that he would be terminated for tardiness, the situation escalated into a verbal dispute that drew attention from customers and staff.
Police were called to de-escalate the situation. No arrests were made.
While reviewing security footage related to the incident, store management discovered additional concerns. Video from earlier that morning appeared to show the man removing several cans of Mountain Lightning from store shelves and placing them in a backpack before clocking in, according to a Walmart incident report.
Walmart declined to comment on personnel matters but confirmed that the termination was based on multiple policy violations.
The man acknowledged taking the soda but said he intended to pay for it later.
“I needed it for armor upgrades,” he told officers, according to a police report. “I want to layer it some more and make it look cooler. I wasn’t trying to steal.”
Police said no theft charges have been filed, though the incident remains under review.
City residents who witnessed the armor-clad walk described it as confusing but not threatening.
“I thought it was cosplay or some kind of performance art,” said Melissa Grant, who saw the man downtown earlier in the day. “I didn’t realize it was a protest.”
The man was not injured, and officers said the armor did not violate any laws. After being escorted from the store, he was allowed to leave without further incident.
Asked whether he felt the protest had worked, the man told officers he believed it had “started a conversation,” though he acknowledged the outcome was not what he had hoped.
Police said the incident underscores the challenges of unconventional protests intersecting with workplace rules.
“People are allowed to express themselves,” Nguyen said. “But employers also have policies, and actions still have consequences.”
The former employee declined further comment.
Gotta lean into it and pretend it's all part of the plan, man.