7 pro-Palestinian protesters sentenced to jail, ordered to pay fine for Golden Gate Bridge shutdown
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Seven protesters who stopped traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge in 2024 in what they said was a desperate bid to stop the United States' support for Israel's war crimes in Gaza were sentenced to 30 days in jail and six months' probation on Friday.
The seven protesters were each found guilty last month of false imprisonment, unlawful assembly, and obstructing a thoroughfare. Felony conspiracy charges that the jury could not reach a verdict on were dismissed by Assistant District Attorney Angela Roze, meaning there will be no retrial on those charges. That retrial could have started as soon as the end of the month.
The dismissal turned an otherwise disappointing hearing for defendants and their supporters -- who turned up by the dozens with a boisterous rally on the courthouse steps ahead of the hearing -- into one of exuberant joy, with cheers, hugs, crying, and chants of "free free Palestine" heard in the hallways.
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The sentence was imposed by San Francisco Superior Court Judge Teresa Caffese, who started the afternoon's proceedings by reading glowing character reference letters from relatives and community members in support of the protesters, before denying motions one by one that would have kept them out of jail.
The defendants included Conrad de Jesus, Rocky Chau, Sarah Ferrell, River Allen, Em Tillotson, Bhavika Anandpura, and Sara Cantor.
Caffese cited the history of civil disobedience bringing consequences for those who break the law, evoking Martin Luther King Jr.'s stints in jail as he confronted Southern segregation laws that were later recognized as blatantly unconstitutional.
Each protester was sentenced to 30 days in county jail, with 15 of those days eligible for a work alternative through the Sheriff's Office. Each defendant was also given credit for four days served. By splitting the time credited, each was ordered to serve 13 days in jail.
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Requests for home detention were denied.
The defendants plan to appeal, according to their attorneys, who include two lawyers from the San Francisco Public Defender's Office.
The sentences also carried a $1,000 fine, and about $400 in other financial penalties.
The protesters will remain free on bail while their appeal makes its way through the court, which Caffese predicted could take up to a year.
