Seven Golden Gate Bridge demonstrators receive 30-day sentences for traffic blockade
Seven activists who halted traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge in a 2024 pro-Palestinian protest were sentenced to 30 days, with credit for time already served.
In a case stemming from a 2024 pro-Palestinian protest on the Golden Gate Bridge, a San Francisco jury convicted seven demonstrators on misdemeanor counts, including false imprisonment, obstruction of a thoroughfare, unlawful assembly and refusal to disperse. Superior Court Judge Teresa Caffese sentenced each to 30 days, with half to be served in a county jail and the remainder eligible for a work-release program operated by the San Francisco Sheriff's Office, and applied a four-day credit for time already served.
The defendants also face six months of probation, fines and restitution of over $1,000. The jury could not reach a verdict on a felony conspiracy charge that could have carried up to 15 years, and prosecutors announced they will not pursue a retrial. District Attorney Brooke Jenkins emphasized the safety risks posed by the blockade, while defense lawyers argued the protest was a moral response to the Gaza conflict. The defendants remain free pending an appeal.
Why it matters
The case highlights legal limits on civil disobedience and the tension between protest rights and public safety.
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