The Washington State Patrol is pursuing misdemeanor charges against five protesters who, according to the agency, participated in an hourslong demonstration last month calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war and blocking all lanes of northbound Interstate 5 in Seattle.
The State Patrol said Friday night it referred charges for three men and two women “who played roles in the protest and purposeful blocking” of the freeway. The potential charges include second-degree criminal trespass, failure to disperse, disorderly conduct and obstruction. The State Patrol has also “identified” two other people who “remain under investigation with possible referrals in the near future,” the agency said in a statement.
The decision about whether to charge the protesters now lies with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors will review the referrals “to determine if charges can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt under state law,” spokesperson Casey McNerthney wrote in an email.