“Drop the charges, DA Jenkins,” and “DA Jenkins, shame on you, you have blood on your hands too,” echoed in front of the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department on Monday morning as advocates rallied to support 26 protesters, nicknamed “GG 26,” who were charged with false imprisonment on August 10 after protesting on the Golden Gate Bridge on April 15.
Around 70 people were present at the rally with a variety of instruments and different colored keffiyehs. The crowd was lively and the ground was flooded with chalk messages of support.
The A15 action culminated in San Francisco with a blockade on the Golden Gate Bridge. Local law enforcement and the California Highway Patrol, in connection with Brooke Jenkins, coordinated the arrest of 26 of the participants involved in the process.
While those arrested were able to make bail, Jenkins announced Aug 10 that she would charge the 26 individuals with felony and misdemeanor charges of false imprisonment.
“While we must protect avenues for free speech, the exercise of free speech cannot compromise public safety. We will continue to ensure that appropriate avenues for the expression of free speech and social advocacy exist and are protected,” said Jenkins in an X post.
Maisa Morrar, an organizer with the Palestinian Feminist Collective and healthcare workers for Palestine, explained that, unlike the Bay Bridge 78, this issue is more convoluted because protesters are not being charged as a group.
The Bay Bridge 78 were protesters who blocked a section of the highway on the Bay Bridge, but based on the fact that authorities could not individually identify the protestors, the charges were dropped.
This time around, every protester is being charged individually.
“We’re not giving up,” said Morrar, “but we’re here to be able to fight the system within and to say that we are standing with the Golden Gate 26, that stood against injustice.”
Monday was the last day the protesters had to turn themselves in willingly. While a majority of people turned themselves in today, there were some that turned themselves in on Sunday and were released around midnight.
Walter Riley, a defense attorney with the National Lawyers Guild representing the protesters, praised the movement and said his son was one of the people arrested as part of the GG 26.
“I am so proud to do the review who are fighting against genocide, against the murder of the people, against the attempt to eradicate the people and an attempt to eradicate the movement here in San Francisco,” said Riley. “I am here and will be part of your defense and part of your struggle.”
