From the
blocking of the Bay Bridge during last year’s APEC summit
to Wednesday morning’s
shutdown of the Golden Gate Bridge
, over the past several months the Bay Area has seen numerous protests that have blocked traffic and interrupted vital freeways.
Assemblymember Kate Sanchez is trying to change that.
Sanchez represents the state’s 71st district down in Orange County.
On Thursday, she introduced a bill that would double penalties for protesters purposefully obstructing the flow of traffic in any way that would prevent emergency vehicles from passing.
VIDEO: 80 protesters who blocked Bay Bridge to be charged with 5 misdemeanors, SF DA says
Protesters who blocked the Bay Bridge last month calling for a cease-fire in Gaza will face charges and be arraigned in batches starting mid-December.
“Protesters are trying to score a cheap political point or advance an agenda and, quite honesty, that can have real world devastating consequences,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez cites examples like during last November’s APEC summit, when around 80 demonstrations shut down traffic on the Bay Bridge for several hours.