A San Francisco jury on July 2, 2026, convicted all seven defendants in People v. Allen et al., the criminal prosecution arising from an April 2024 pro-Gaza blockade of the Golden Gate Bridge, on three misdemeanor counts: false imprisonment, obstruction of a thoroughfare, and unlawful assembly [1][2]. The case had drawn sustained public attention since prosecutors charged a group of activists, identified publicly as the "Golden Gate Seven," for their roles in halting traffic on the bridge. The charges that survived to verdict were the lesser of what prosecutors sought; the more consequential count, felony conspiracy, did not produce a unanimous verdict [1].
The jury deadlocked 10-2 in favor of conviction on the felony conspiracy count and 11-1 in favor of acquittal on a trespassing count [1]. Judge Teresa Caffese declared a mistrial on both hung counts [1]. Defendant Sara Cantor faced an additional misdemeanor charge of refusal to disperse and was convicted on that count as well [1][2]. The seven defendants are River Allen, Bhavika Anandpura, Sara Cantor, Rocky Chau, Sarah Ferrell, Conrad de Jesus, and Em Tillotson [2].
The deadlock on felony conspiracy significantly limits the defendants' criminal exposure. Misdemeanor convictions in California carry maximum penalties well below the sentencing range that a felony conspiracy conviction would have triggered. No sentencing date has been reported in the available sources. Whether prosecutors will retry the two hung counts has not been announced publicly.
The split verdict leaves open the question of retrial on felony conspiracy. A 10-2 majority for conviction on that count suggests the prosecution retains a plausible path forward if it elects to proceed, though the practical and political calculus of a retrial in San Francisco on protest-related charges remains unresolved [1].