Seven Protesters Convicted on 6 Misdemeanors in Golden Gate Blockade as Jury Deadlocks on 2 Charges
Updated
Updated · Mission Local · Jul 3
Seven Protesters Convicted on 6 Misdemeanors in Golden Gate Blockade as Jury Deadlocks on 2 Charges
3 articles · Updated · Mission Local · Jul 3
Summary
Seven pro-Palestine protesters were convicted Thursday on six misdemeanor counts for a four-hour April 2024 Golden Gate Bridge blockade, cutting their maximum exposure to about five years each after jurors failed to reach verdicts on two other charges.
A San Francisco jury deadlocked 10-2 for guilt on felony conspiracy and 11-1 for acquittal on misdemeanor trespass, prompting Judge Teresa Caffese to declare a mistrial on the two unresolved counts; sentencing is set for August.
Sarah Cantor, identified by prosecutors as the protest's police liaison, was also found guilty of an additional misdemeanor count of refusing to disperse at a riot.
Defense lawyers said they will appeal, arguing the case was overcharged and that the defendants' anti-war message undercut criminal intent; supporters packed the courtroom and shouted at the verdicts.
The seven were the main targets in District Attorney Brooke Jenkins' broader case against 26 protesters, while most of the other defendants had their misdemeanor cases diverted or dismissed.