By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON, Aug 23 (Reuters) – Seven protesters who blocked traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge in a 2024 pro-Palestinian protest against Israel’s assault on Gaza have been sentenced to 30 days, with credit for time already served.
They were convicted in July of misdemeanor charges by a San Francisco jury that remained deadlocked on the more serious charge of felony conspiracy.
Defense attorneys said demonstrators acted out of a moral responsibility to oppose the devastation from Israeli strikes on Gaza and Washington’s support for its ally.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said the protest caused a safety risk for those stuck in traffic and there should be consequences when laws are broken.
“Throughout history, civil disobedience has mostly involved accepting legal consequences,” Superior Court Judge Teresa Caffese was quoted as saying by KQED.
“In that spirit, those who blocked the bridge and disrupted the lives of hundreds of commuters should be treated respectfully, but should also be prepared to accept the consequences of their actions.”
The sentences included half the time in county jail while the remaining days can be served at a work release program operated by the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office. There will be four days’ credit for previous time already served. The sentencing also included six months of probation, and fines and restitution of over $1,000.
The defendants will remain free while the case is appealed, SFGate reported.
Defense attorneys argued that protesters resorted to blocking the bridge after writing letters and appealing to congressional representatives produced no result.
The jury convicted the seven protesters on misdemeanor counts including false imprisonment, obstruction of thoroughfare, unlawful assembly and in one defendant’s case refusal to disperse.
The jury did not reach a verdict on the most serious charge of felony conspiracy, an agreement between two or more people to commit a crime coupled with an overt act, which could have had a sentence of up to 15 years. Prosecutors said they will not retry the charges.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Lincoin Feast.)
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