Opening statements are expected Wednesday morning in the trial of protesters accused of shutting down the Golden Gate Bridge during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in 2024. Attorneys for seven protesters had hoped to avoid a trial by asking a San Francisco judge to reduce the charges to misdemean ors, but the request was denied in March. The defendants are facing felony charges tied to the April 2024 protest, when demonstrators blocked traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge for hours to protest U.S. support for Israel in the war in Gaza. Authorities said 26 protesters locked themselves together during the demonstration and shut down traffic on the bridge. The seven defendants on trial face charges including felony conspiracy, false imprisonment and trespassing to interfere with a business. If convicted, they could face up to 14 to 15 years in prison. Defense attorneys also unsuccessfully argued that the California Highway Patrol violated the protesters’ First Amendment rights by obtaining a warrant to search their social media accounts. San Francisco Nov 24, 2024 SF judge dismisses majority of charges against Golden Gate Bridge protesters San Francisco Oct 17, 2024 Golden Gate Bridge protest case: Judge denies motion for DA recusal San Francisco Aug 12, 2024 Protesters who blocked Golden Gate Bridge hit with false imprisonment charges ...read more read less