San Francisco prosecutors have charged 26 protesters who blocked the Golden Gate Bridge for hours in April to demand a cease-fire in Gaza. The protest on April 15 was part of a series of demonstrations held by pro-Palestinian activists across the country.
The protesters face charges including felony conspiracy, false imprisonment, trespassing, obstruction of a thoroughfare, and failure to obey lawful orders. The demonstration caused significant traffic disruptions, with vehicles blocking lanes and shutting down all traffic on the bridge, including pedestrians and cyclists.
Prosecutors emphasized that the protest posed a serious safety risk, trapping hundreds of motorists on the bridge for several hours. District Attorney Brooke Jenkins stated that while free speech must be protected, it cannot come at the expense of public safety.
The San Francisco Public Defender's Office plans to represent some of the charged individuals and has called for the charges to be dropped. They argue that the protesters were advocating against the use of American tax dollars to fund attacks in Gaza, which have been condemned as crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court.
In a similar incident in November, charges against 78 protesters who blocked the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge were dropped. Instead, they were ordered to perform community service and pay restitution. The protesters were demanding a cease-fire in Gaza during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
Protests calling for an end to military aid to Israel and an immediate cease-fire in Gaza have taken place in various cities, including Los Angeles, New York, Boston, and Philadelphia.
