Pro-Palestinian protesters miss the civil disobedience portion of the program

[Sympthsical]

Protesters were arrested and charged for blocking the Bay Bridge in San Francisco - not least for false imprisonment, which is what happens when you trap unwilling commuters on a bridge.

Now they're protesting . . . that they got charged for their protest.

In case anyone wondered what reality all of this is taking place in.

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[madaboutharry]

1. "They think what they did was right"

They trapped thousands of people in their cars for hours.
What if an ambulance was unable to get through or a woman in labor unable to get to the hospital?
I hope they all are convicted and get jail time.

[EllieBC]

3. They would have blamed Israel.

“Well we wouldn’t have to block traffic if Israel would just agree to a ceasefire that Hamas won’t follow anyway and let themselves be attacked we wouldn’t have had to block your ambulance.”

[nocoincidences]

2. Boo fucking hoo.

Real life slaps you right in the face.

[Eko]

4. Why would they do that?

No one

Should impede traffic

For a cause

They sincerely believe in.

They deserve to be arrested right?

[Sympthsical]

6. They do. Do you . . . not know that?

Is that the standard now? Hold people against their will if you believe your cause is just and there should be no consequences?

And this wasn't even a situation where defenders of it could go with a stupid "Just turn around!" argument. It's a bridge people got stuck on. A major artery that caused major complications and put lives in danger.

Are there any other laws you feel should be ignored because you like their cause? Can we get a list?

I'd like to know which laws are and are not valid based on ideological approval.

MLK day was literally four days ago, and civil disobedience still isn't an understood concept. Boggling.

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. I really can't see why you don't understand

Do you think that it's illogical to protest about people being charged (since you mention "reality" in your OP)? Or that it's "not the done thing"?

[Sympthsical]

9. Illogical, childish, a bit dim

The behavior is a lot of adjectives I could use.

"You're charging me for the law I broke? How dare you!"

I would love to live in their world. Where I can do whatever the fuck I want, and no one should hold me accountable for it.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. You seem to object to protesters on principle

Sadly for you, you do live in the world where protesting is allowed. And logical. And adult. And perfectly sensible. I get that you object to their actions, but you'd make your case better without all the name-calling.

[Sympthsical]

12. You cannot hold people against their will

This is not a difficult concept. You break that law, you suffer those consequences.

They have the right to protest. I have the right to call that protest idiotic.

You seem to be defending unlawful detainment. Why?

[muriel_volestrangler]

20. I'm not defending "unlawful detainment".

But it seems strange to get so het up that you descend to name-calling when someone objects to charges. People object to charges all the time. That is the 'reality' you wondered about. Why is it worth a thread, let alone the insults?

[Sympthsical]

24. That's your objection?

I'm discussing people who think they have the right to take a bridge full of people hostage consequence free, and you're worried about my tone?

Hokay.

[muriel_volestrangler]

27. "Hostage"? Yes, I do think your tone is wrong.

"Hostage" is an example. It's hysterical.

[Sympthsical]

29. Oh, I don't care

Three months in and the "I support this, but don't want to say I do, but will imply it nonstop" game is getting a little dull.

The protesters were saying a lot worse things than me and my tone. Maybe bug them about it since we're a people of decorum.

[Cha]

31. Your "tone" is fine.. in fact it's Righteous!.. TY!

Hope they pay for their crimes.

The Traitor doesn't think he should be charged for his crimes, either.

[question everything]

23. How would you feel if you were stuck in an ambulance taking you to the ER?

and, yes, this holds for all unlawful block of public roads. Remember when Christi’s campaign blocked the bridge to NYC?

[muriel_volestrangler]

25. I'm not saying that people stuck on the bridge shouldn't have been annoyed.

I'm saying that I can't understand why anyone is surprised that people who feel so strongly about a situation that they'll shut down a bridge have allies saying they shouldn't be charged. This is reality - and has been since the dawn of "charges". And if people want to put a case that the charges are just, then it'll be more persuasive without name-calling (unless the name-calling is actually the reason for the thread).

[Sympthsical]

26. They delayed transplant organs getting through

https://www.sfchronicle.com/health/article/ucsf-transplant-organs-delayed-bay-bridge-18496699.php

Traffic and protests surrounding the APEC conference in San Francisco delayed the transport of organs into and out of the city, making transplants riskier for patients awaiting critical procedures.

On Thursday morning, the transport of three organs en route to or heading out of UCSF hospitals was significantly pushed back by the closure of the Bay Bridge due to a Gaza cease-fire protest and San Francisco traffic around the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference, said UCSF transplant surgeon Dr. Garrett Roll.

One involved a courier coming from the East Bay who was stuck on the Bay Bridge for hours trying to pick up an organ at UCSF. They had to reroute across the Golden Gate Bridge instead, increasing the travel time from about 30 minutes to four hours.

Another organ was stuck on the Bay Bridge trying to get to UCSF, Roll said. A third organ was delayed trying to leave UCSF to reach its destination hospital.

It's a weird dichotomy that people perform how much they care by not caring about others at all.

[betsuni]

35. Yes, and because of people who don't know the meaning of the word "genocide."

[yardwork]

16. These types of protests backfire, imo.

DU tends to be an older crowd, so there are plenty of folks here who participated in protests back in the day. I'm sure some DUers were trained in nonviolent resistance, may even have led such trainings.

There are different types of protests, used for different purposes. Strikes, call outs, disruption of infrastructure can be effective ways to force attention on labor disputes. It's transactional - pay us more or we won't pick up your trash. People may grumble but if it's a matter of fairness and negotiations, generally folks see the point.

The I/P situation is not that kind of issue and disrupting infrastructure isn't going to be appreciated or even understood. To the person stuck on a bridge for hours, they're supposed to... what? "Who are these people blocking my car and screaming? Palestine? Where's that? I don't want my taxes going to any foreign country! That's why I vote Republican! Damn Democrats!"

Good job, folks. Of course, that's EXACTLY the outcome Putin is seeking.

[muriel_volestrangler]

21. Why is the I/P situation "not that kind of issue"?

It involves the deaths of thousands of innocent people. Isn't that just as worthy of nonviolent resistance and disruption of infrastructure as labor disputes? Or maybe even more so?

[yardwork]

33. I know that you are a thoughtful and intelligent poster.

Nowhere did I say anything about being "worthy." I've outlined how I think people in the real world react to different reasons for protests. I've described how I think people react to things that affect them personally. I'm not remotely interested in getting into some argument about what is worthy or not.

[Mossfern]

36. That non-violence caused harm to others.

So can you really call it non-violent?

[maxsolomon]

17. There was plenty of outrage at those BLM tactics.

It is really ill-advised and alienates people who otherwise support the goals of BLM. Which were: treat Black People like their lives matter; Police should stop killing them.

The protest Left has apparently run out of ideas.

[EX500rider]

18. "They deserve to be arrested right?"

Yes they do, don't care what the cause it, if you block a road and the police tell you to move and you don't, of course you should get arrested. They don't get a pass just because you agree with the cause, would be OK with MAGA"S blocking roads too?

[Cha]

32. TY... that "wharaboutism" didn't work.

[betsuni]

5. K&R

[LeftInTX]

7. They're so annoying and entitled.

[Mountainguy]

11. Imagine that pro palestinian protesters

Go to move is false imprisonment and kidnapping.

A little on the nose.

[tritsofme]

14. Yep, no one should be surprised to see them emulating their revered heroes in Hamas.

Hopefully they stop there.

[DFW]

13. Holding people against their will for hours with no consideration, even for medical emergencies

Don't we call cops "pigs" for doing that?

[yardwork]

15. There's no difference between these folks and the J6 participants.

Both sets of people engaged in foolish, illegal behavior because they've been convinced by lies made by shadowy leaders who are paid by Russians.

[muriel_volestrangler]

22. They couldn't possibly be appalled at the deaths of thousands of innocent people, then?

Do you really think no-one cares about that?

[yardwork]

34. Again, putting words in my mouth.

I think millions of Americans care about the 2020 election because they've been told lies about how it was stolen. They care deeply about this and they truly believe that their nation's democracy is under attack. They are misinformed and are protesting the wrong people.

I think millions of people around the globe care very much about the plight of Palestinians. Unfortunately, I think that many of them are misinformed into a false impression of Israel because of lies and disinformation.

I think millions of us see that the I/P conflict is a tragic and seemingly never-ending bad situation that hurts and kills Israelis, Palestinians, and many others. I trust Joe Biden.

[LeftInTX]

19. They want the DA to order a cease-fire, free Palestine and drop charges...

How can a local DA fee Palestine and order a cease-fire?

[Cha]

28. Now the Lawbreakers are Whining

they got arrested!

Who does that remind you of?

[ExciteBike66]

30. Seems like this is pretty textbook civil disobedience...

If it wasn't illegal it would just be "protest".

That said, they shouldn't be surprised to be arrested...