26 charged in Golden Gate Bridge protest over Gaza conflict

Prosecutors in San Francisco charged 26 pro-Palestinian demonstrators who blocked the Golden Gate Bridge during a protest on April 15. They each face 40 charges, including felony conspiracy and false imprisonment for their roles.

The Golden Gate Bridge protest was part of coordinated protests across the country to demand an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and an end to military aid to Israel. The protesters chained themselves together and abandoned vehicles on the bridge to draw attention to the Gaza conflict, causing significant traffic disruption for more than four hours.

The protest affected thousands of commuters and resulted in widespread delays, financial losses for the Golden Gate Bridge District and personal hardships for those caught in the gridlock.

Stuck motorists described missing work, delaying medical appointments, and a mother was unable to prepare formula for her infant. District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said one person even had a brain tumor who was scheduled for surgery that day and couldn’t have it done.

Prosecutors characterized the situation as involuntary confinement, stating that thousands of drivers and their passengers were effectively “imprisoned on the freeway for several hours.”

The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office has called for the charges to be dropped, framing the protest as opposition to American tax dollars funding actions in Gaza.

All 26 people turned themselves into the jail on Aug. 12.

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