FILE - Protesters stand on Interstate 5 in Eugene, some with Palestinian flags, closing the southbound lanes between Eugene and Springfield around 10 a.m., April 15, 2024.
Courtesy of KEZI
Earlier this year, dozens of antiwar activists were arrested for blocking Interstate 5 in Eugene. Nineteen are taking their case to trial, the first of which began this week.
In April, a group of protestors marched onto I-5 near the Harlow Road overpass, unfurling free Palestine banners, and shutting down the southbound lanes for about two hours.
Several of those same activists filled a small Lane County courtroom Thursday. Jesselyn Perkins, a spokesperson for the group, said a significant portion of those arrested took diversion deals.
But Perkins and 18 others are taking their case to trial, saying they are fighting for free speech and the rights of Palestinians.
“Beyond anything else, the thing that we are calling for and demanding is an end to the apartheid state, and end to the colonizing, a end to the genocide and end to the arms deals,” Perkins said.
One of the protesters was found guilty Friday by a Lane County jury. The remaining trials are expected to last into early next year.
During the demonstration in April, more than 120 law enforcement officers from four different agencies responded. In a statement announcing the mass arrest, Oregon State Police said the demonstration had endangered motorists.
The protestors have been charged with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, and face potential fines and up to six months in jail.
This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.