Los Angeles Freeway Protestors Enter Diversion Program in Gaza War Demonstration
Twenty-nine individuals who protested Israel’s war in Gaza by shutting down a Los Angeles freeway in December 2013 will participate in a 12-month diversion program, avoiding criminal convictions if they complete community service.
The protestors were charged with misdemeanors including unlawful assembly and obstruction of a street after halting southbound traffic on the 110 Freeway near downtown Los Angeles, an event that led to confrontations with motorists. Yesterday, a judge agreed to the diversion, requiring each participant to perform 20 hours of community service; successful completion will result in charges being dismissed in October 2026. Attorney Colleen Flynn, representing the protestors, lauded their actions as motivated by a “moral duty to bring attention to the loss of life and humanitarian crisis going on in Gaza,” stating, “These are people who were, out of conscience, making a decision to engage in an act of civil disobedience.”
Prosecutors initially sought a lighter sentence of eight hours of community service but argued for 20, emphasizing the disruption caused by the four-hour freeway closure and its impact on commuters in the nation’s second-largest city. The case drew scrutiny over allegations of bias from Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, with Flynn arguing her clients faced disparate treatment compared to protestors demonstrating for other causes; this claim was previously denied by a judge. The conflict in Gaza has had a significant impact on global political discourse, and this case highlights the domestic legal ramifications of protests related to the conflict. Further information on the ongoing situation in Gaza can be found at the United Nations Information System on the Question of Palestine.
Two other individuals charged in connection with the protest already completed a similar diversion program earlier this year and had their charges dismissed. Deputy City Attorney Brad Rothenberg stated the freeway closure “affected thousands of people who come to the second largest city in the United States to work.” The City Attorney’s office has not commented on whether it will pursue further action regarding similar protests, but continues to prioritize public safety on roadways, as outlined in the Los Angeles City Attorney’s website.
