Seven Golden Gate Bridge protesters convicted on misdemeanor counts
A San Francisco jury deadlocked on a felony conspiracy charge tied to a 2024 pro-Palestinian blockade of the bridge.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
2 min read
A San Francisco jury convicted seven pro-Palestinian demonstrators on misdemeanor charges over a 2024 blockade of the Golden Gate Bridge, prosecutors said. The same jury could not reach a verdict on a felony conspiracy count, leaving open the possibility of another trial on the more serious charge.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said Thursday that each of the seven defendants was found guilty of six misdemeanor counts. Jenkins said the counts included false imprisonment, obstructing a thoroughfare and unlawful assembly.
Local outlet KQED identified the defendants as Bhavika Anandpura, River Allen, Rocky Chau, Conrad de Jesus, Sarah Ferrell, Em Tillotson and Sara Cantor. KQED reported that Cantor, who served as a police liaison during the protest, was also convicted of a misdemeanor count of refusing to disperse.
The case stemmed from an April 15, 2024, demonstration tied to a coordinated Tax Day protest, according to prosecutors and local reports. Demonstrators blocked southbound traffic on the bridge for four hours as part of a protest against U.S. military aid to Israel during the war in Gaza.
According to CBS News San Francisco, protesters used vehicles to stop traffic and linked themselves together through pipes. CBS News San Francisco reported that the toll plaza normally handles about 5,000 vehicles during the hours affected by the blockade.
KQED reported that jurors split 10-2 in favor of conviction on the felony conspiracy charge after a trial that lasted weeks and deliberations that took several days. The deadlock led to a mistrial on that count, which prosecutors said could have carried a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.
Defense lawyers characterized the lack of a felony verdict as a major result for the defendants, according to local media. Public defender Nuha Abusamra, who represented one defendant, told local outlets that the protesters acted from moral necessity after efforts such as contacting elected officials did not produce change.
Jenkins said the traffic shutdown created safety concerns and affected people stuck on the bridge, including medical workers who missed hospital shifts and a mother who could not get water for baby formula. On the unresolved felony count, Jenkins said her office would review its options and decide on possible next steps.
The seven defendants face up to five years in county jail on the misdemeanor convictions, according to prosecutors. Sentencing is scheduled for August.
The defendants were among 26 activists arrested in connection with the Tax Day bridge shutdown, according to local reporting. Nineteen others accepted pretrial diversion, community service and fines, while the seven convicted defendants took their cases to trial.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.