Felony trials underway for members of the 'Golden Gate 26'

SAN FRANCISCO - Two years after dozens of protesters shut down traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge, trials for seven of those individuals have started.

While prosecutors say the case is clear-cut, the defendants argue they were acting on a moral imperative: drawing attention to the war in Gaza. Protesters took to the bridge and stopped traffic for hours. Drivers were stuck waiting for law enforcement to clear the bridge and remove the activists, some of whom were bound together with PVC pipes.

The defendants face felony charges of conspiring and restricting drivers' freedom to move for four hours.

Prosecution and defense

What they're saying:

"The evidence is clear, they broke the law and while you may agree with their message, it does not allow them to break the law," Assistant District Attorney Angela Roze, who is prosecuting the case, at one point told the jurors, 

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins cannot comment on this specific case while it's underway, but did say she supports the right to protest.

"I know that we are a city that will do everything we can to make sure that people can express themselves in that regard," Jenkins said. "But when it violates the law and puts public safety in jeopardy, then I have a job to do."

The seven defendants' attorneys took turns addressing the jury, with many saying the protesters felt a moral imperative to speak out against the war, what they called atrocities in Gaza, and US support for Israel.

"(They) never wanted to cause harm to anyone, never had any intent to break the law because there was a real, ongoing emergency they wanted to address," Nuha Abusamra, of the Public Defenders Office said of the protesters.

Other protesters

Dig deeper:

Mana Kocher, who was protesting with the defendants that day, was not on trial Wednesday, but came to the courthouse to show his support. Kocher said the protesters were and are on strong moral footing, which should sway the justice system in their favor.

"I heard, in court, the defense attorneys explaining that it is not just the actions, but also the intent with which someone comes in that is important to the law," Kocher said.

If convicted, the defendants face more than a decade of prison time. One other defendant who initially faced felony charges had their case dismissed in 2024.

Those facing misdemeanor charges were offered diversion by the court. If they accepted that offer and met the court's terms, the cases will already have been dismissed. 

What's next

Timeline:

The trials are expected to run for the next three weeks.