80 demonstrators facing charges over Bay Bridge protest that halted traffic
CHP officers arrest at least 50 people on the Bay Bridge. Nov. 16, 2023
SAN FRANCISCO - Eighty individuals are facing charges over their participation in a pro-Palestine protest last month that brought traffic to a standstill for hours on the Bay Bridge connecting Oakland to San Francisco.
On the morning of Nov. 16, hundreds of demonstrators gathered on the Bay Bridge demanding a ceasefire and an end to the war in Gaza during the APEC summit. Eighty will be charged "in connection with an unlawful public assembly on the Bay Bridge," five misdemeanor counts of "false imprisonment, refusing to comply with a peace officer, unlawful public assembly, refusing to disperse, and obstruction of street, sidewalk or other place open to public."
The protest started around 7:45 a.m. and ended before noon, resulting in 70 arrests and 29 towed cars at the time.
"While we must protect avenues for free speech, the exercise of free speech can not compromise public safety. 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," said San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins in a statement.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Pro-Palestine protesters shut down Bay Bridge
During the protest, at least 200 protesters chained themselves together to the bridge before intentionally throwing their car keys into the bay.
California Highway Patrol Officer Art Montiel told KTVU the protest was "very well planned." However, CHP Chief Ezery Beauchamp said later that they were not caught off-guard by the protest and that 150 officers responded to the scene, loading protesters onto buses to be cited and released.
Donated organs meant to be used for organ transplants were delayed in transit due to the protest, according to a spokesperson for UCSF. However, the delay was not expected to "affect the outcome for [the] patients."
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Those cited and released that day are required to appear in court for arraignments throughout next week.