A San Francisco jury has convicted seven pro-Palestinian protesters of misdemeanor charges for blocking traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge in 2024, but remained deadlocked on the more serious charge of felony conspiracy. The verdict was announced on Thursday, with the defendants facing up to five years in county jail when sentenced in August.
Charges and Convictions
According to San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, each of the seven protesters was found guilty on six misdemeanor counts, including false imprisonment, obstruction of thoroughfare, and unlawful assembly. One defendant was also convicted of an additional misdemeanor for refusing to disperse. The most serious charge, felony conspiracy—which could have carried a sentence of up to 15 years—resulted in a hung jury.
Protest Background
The protest took place in 2024 as part of a wave of large-scale demonstrations across the United States demanding an end to Israel's war in Gaza and Washington's support for its ally. Protesters also called for universities to divest from companies supporting Israel. The Golden Gate Bridge blockade lasted four hours, causing significant traffic disruption.
Arguments from Both Sides
Defense attorneys argued that the demonstrators acted out of a moral responsibility to oppose the devastation from Israel's war in Gaza and U.S. support for Israel. They said the protesters turned to blocking the bridge after other methods, such as writing letters and appealing to congressional representatives, yielded no results. Nuha Abusamra, representing one of the defendants, told local media KQED that the conviction on lesser charges marked a victory. "Taking a bridge and blocking traffic for a few hours years ago is the bare minimum that we should be doing as American citizens while our tax dollars continue to fund the mass genocide of Palestinians," she said.
Jenkins' office argued that the protest created a safety risk for those stuck in the traffic jam. "At this time we will evaluate our options and consider next steps," Jenkins said regarding the hung jury on the felony charge.
Broader Context
Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza has killed tens of thousands, triggered a hunger crisis, and displaced the entire population of Gaza. Rights experts, scholars, and United Nations inquiries have called it a genocide, while Israel describes its actions as self-defense following the October 2023 Hamas-led attack that killed 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages.
