According to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, 26 people have been charged in connection with the April 15 protest on the Golden Gate Bridge.
All 26 individuals face 38 counts of unlawful imprisonment, entering a business premises to disrupt the conduct of business, obstructing a right of way, unlawful assembly, refusing to leave during a riot and failing to obey a lawful order of a uniformed officer.
According to District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, eight people are charged with aiding and abetting a crime, while the rest are charged with aiding and abetting a crime.
On April 15 at about 8am a group of protesters blocked traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge. Footage from the protest on the Golden Gate Bridge showed demonstrators holding a banner reading “STOP THE WORLD FOR GAZA” across the southbound lanes.
The protesters used chains hidden in pipes to link themselves together, slowing the process of clearing the demonstration. It wasn’t until the afternoon that tow trucks began removing vehicles from the bridge.
CHP confirmed that day that 26 people had been arrested. However, the the protesters were later released According to DA Jenkins, the charges were not yet ready to be filed.
According to the DA’s office, the Golden Gate Bridge District lost an estimated $162,000 in revenue and more than 200 people called the CHP to let them know how they were affected by the protest.
The DA said some people told the CHP they had missed “important medical appointments, school and flights.” According to the DA, one person said they had missed an appointment for brain surgery to remove a tumor.
Arrest warrants have been issued and the 26 defendants have until Monday to turn themselves in to the California Highway Patrol.
