Protesters blocked site visitors on the Golden Gate Bridge in mid-April to name consideration to the struggle in Gaza and the struggling of Palestinian civilians whose cities had been being bombarded.
Now, authorities in San Francisco are prosecuting them for trapping individuals of their vehicles on the bridge for hours. The San Francisco Public Defender countered that officers had been “weaponizing the legislation” towards protesters; he needs the costs dropped.
The San Francisco district legal professional’s workplace introduced in a information launch Monday that arrest warrants had been issued for the 26 individuals who participated within the April 15 protest. All 26 surrendered to legislation enforcement, in line with the California Freeway Patrol, however they haven’t appeared in court docket or been assigned authorized illustration.
“Whereas we should defend avenues totally free speech, the train of free speech cannot compromise public security,” Dist. Atty. Brooke Jenkins mentioned in a press release. “The demonstration on the Golden Gate Bridge brought on a degree of security threat, together with excessive threats to the well being and welfare of these trapped, that we as a society can not ignore or permit.”
The group, dubbed the “Golden Gate 26” by their supporters, might be represented by the San Francisco Public Defender’s Workplace, which blasted the costs and cited a better ethical authority for the protest.
Pedestrians and bicyclists wait exterior the pedestrian gate on the south facet of the Golden Gate Bridge whereas the bridge is closed due to protesters on April 15 in San Francisco.
(Lea Suzuki / Related Press )
“The protestors are opposing American tax {dollars} getting used to fund ongoing assaults on the individuals in Gaza, which the Worldwide Prison Courtroom has deemed crimes towards humanity,” San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju mentioned in a press release. “Our attorneys intend to vehemently defend any people we’re appointed to signify.”
The district legal professional’s workplace charged the 26 with trespassing to intrude with a enterprise, obstruction of a thoroughfare, illegal meeting, refusal to disperse at a riot, failure to obey the orders of police and 38 counts of false imprisonment. Eight of the defendants additionally face a felony conspiracy cost, and the remainder face a misdemeanor conspiracy cost.
Protests in opposition to the struggle in Gaza have taken over highways, school campuses and metropolis streets for the reason that Oct. 7 assault by Hamas on Israel, the place militants killed 1,200 Israelis and took about 250 hostages, roughly 115 of whom are nonetheless lacking. Since then, Israeli forces have killed almost 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza, in line with well being officers in Gaza, who embody each Hamas forces and civilians of their casualty counts.
The protesters gathered shortly earlier than 8 a.m. on April 15 on the Golden Gate Bridge, the place they deserted their automobiles and chained their our bodies collectively whereas holding up indicators. The group’s members had been warned repeatedly by police and different officers that they’d be arrested if they didn’t transfer, however the group ignored them, in line with the D.A.’s workplace.
A protester later recognized as Sara Cantor informed police that the protesters wouldn’t resist arrest, however the demonstrators who had been interlocked between automobiles with a big metallic tube wouldn’t voluntarily adjust to authorities, the D.A.’s workplace mentioned. The entire protesters had been arrested and faraway from the bridge, and the site visitors lanes had been reopened by 12:20 p.m.
Roughly 12,000 automobiles journey south and eight,000 automobiles journey north on the bridge between the hours of 8 a.m. and midday, in line with the Golden Gate Bridge District, which the D.A.’s workplace claims misplaced greater than $162,000 in income as a result of protest.
Jenkins took to social media following the protest to ask for anybody caught on the Golden Gate Bridge to come back ahead, as a result of they might be entitled to restitution and produce other rights assured below state’s legislation.
The D.A.’s workplace mentioned a number of hundred individuals had been held towards their will on the mercy of the protest. In response to court docket paperwork, individuals caught in the midst of stopped site visitors missed work and vital medical appointments, and a mom along with her child didn’t have water for the toddler system.
