1. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators block road near Sea-Tac airport
2. Demonstrators near Sea-Tac airport plead not guilty.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
SEATAC, Wash. (AP) — In a recent development, more than three dozen pro-Palestinian protesters who were accused of blocking a main road into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport last month have pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and failing to disperse. The thirty-seven individuals appeared in SeaTac Municipal Court, where Judge Pauline Freund returned $500 bail to each of them and released them on conditions including not returning to the airport without a travel purpose and appearing at their pretrial hearings on June 11, as reported by The Seattle Times.
At least five other individuals who were arrested hired private attorneys and waived their arraignment, according to the City of SeaTac. The Washington State Department of Transportation confirmed that on April 15, a demonstration led to the closure of the main road to the airport for several hours. Social media posts depicted individuals holding a banner and waving Palestinian flags while standing on the highway. Demonstrations also took place near airports in Illinois, California, and New York on the same day, as reported by the Associated Press.
Following their arraignment at SeaTac City Hall, several protesters declined to comment on their cases, simply stating, “Free Palestine.” In Washington state, a misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of up to 90 days in county jail or a fine of up to £1,000, or both. Among their demands, the protesters were calling for an immediate cease-fire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Protests in support of Palestine have been gaining momentum on college campuses across the United States. Students have been setting up encampments and urging their institutions to sever ties with Israel and businesses that support it. These demonstrations have taken place at universities from the University of Washington in Seattle to Columbia University in New York City, with law enforcement identifying some participants as outside agitators.
The recent escalation of conflict between Israel and Hamas began when militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths, mostly civilians, and the capture of around 250 individuals. Despite the release of many hostages during a previous cease-fire, militants still hold roughly 100 captives and the remains of over 30 individuals. The conflict has claimed the lives of more than 35,000 individuals in Gaza, with the majority being women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
The Associated Press
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– Pro-Palestinian demonstrators block road near Sea-Tac airport
– Demonstrators near Sea-Tac airport plead not guilty.
