SF District Attorney Prosecuting Protesters for Blocking Bridge

Pro-Palestinian protesters who blocked the Oakland Bay Bridge for 4 hours on November 16th are being prosecuted by San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. The Associated Press reports that 17 of the 80 protesters arrested were in court Monday facing several charges including false imprisonment and refusing to comply with a police officer. Dozens more will be charged and arraigned throughout the week. This is a sharp turnaround from former progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who refused to prosecute protesters and many criminals.  Last year 60% of San Francisco voters recalled Boudin for failing to enforce the law, leaving the city ravaged with crime. Jenkins was elected after promising to restore law and order.  Over the past year she has been keeping her word.

Roughly 200 protesters flooded onto the Bay Bridge at rush hour during the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation summit to demand a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. All lanes into San Francisco were shut down and 29 cars had to be towed. “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,” said Jenkins.  Contrast this with uber-progressive Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, who released 35 pro-Palestine protesters after they were charged with disorderly conduct for blocking an interstate for three hours last week.