Prosecutors have charged 26 protesters who blocked the Golden Gate Bridge in April to demand a cease-fire in Gaza.
San Francisco prosecutors charged them with felony conspiracy, false imprisonment, trespassing and obstruction of a thoroughfare.
Flashback: The protest caused a significant traffic jam on April 15, shutting down all vehicle, pedestrian, and bike traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge, trapping hundreds of motorists for several hours.
- Other protesters who blocked traffic on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge last November had their criminal charges dropped in March, however.
- The 78 protesters involved with the Bay Bridge ended up being ordered to do five hours of community service and pay restitution.
What they’re saying: “While we must protect avenues for free speech, the exercise of free speech can not compromise public safety,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins in a statement. “The demonstration on the Golden Gate Bridge caused a level of safety risk, including extreme threats to the health and welfare of those trapped, that we as a society cannot ignore or allow.”
