San Francisco District Attorney Charges 80 People Over Protest That Shut Down Traffic on Bay Bridge

Updated 4 p.m. Saturday

San Francisco’s District Attorney is charging 80 people in connection with a protest last month that shut down traffic on the Bay Bridge.

The protest blocked traffic on the westbound side of the bridge for over two hours.

Organizers said they wanted to push public officials to do more to secure a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. The protest took place as President Joe Biden was in San Francisco for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit.

All individuals charged are facing five misdemeanors, including false imprisonment, refusing to disperse, unlawful public assembly, and obstruction of street, sidewalk or other place open to public.

“While we must protect avenues for free speech, the exercise of free speech can not compromise public safety,” District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said in a statement on Saturday. “The demonstration on the Bay Bridge that snarled traffic for hours had a tremendous impact on those who were stuck on the bridge for hours and required tremendous public resources to resolve. I would like to commend the California Highway Patrol and San Francisco Sheriff’s Department for their work to peacefully resolve this incident.”

Rachel Lederman, an attorney representing the protesters with the Center for Protest Law and Litigation, is calling on the DA to dismiss all of the charges, which she described as a waste of taxpayer money.

“There’s overwhelming support for a lasting ceasefire in San Francisco,” Lederman said in an interview with KQED. “The cost to the court is going to be enormous to prosecute these 80 people who were simply engaged in nonviolent civil disobedience, in the great tradition of civil disobedience in U.S. history.”

Lederman said the charges have more to do with “political posturing,” adding that it’s “ridiculous” for Jenkins to charge the entire group with five different misdemeanors, including false imprisonment.

“She seems to be using this group of people to simply make a point that she’s for law and order, tough on crime or whatever,” Lederman said. “We have issues of homelessness, lack of sufficient social services in San Francisco, this isn’t what the people of San Francisco want their money to be used for. Really, this group of people should be applauded for their courageous act, taking a stand for peace and justice.”

Lederman added they have a track record of almost “100% success” in defending protesters in San Francisco.

“So if she’s foolish enough to proceed against these 80 people, it just may not get the result that she’s looking for.”

Arraignments for those charged are scheduled to start Monday in San Francisco Superior Court. The Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC) announced it will hold a press conference and rally Monday morning, calling on community members to “pack the court” during proceedings against the protesters as a sign of solidarity.

KQED’s Rachael Vazquez, Annelise Finney and Attila Pelit contributed to this story.