Three people were arrested after a group of protestors demanding police reform walked onto the Carquinez Bridge and briefly closed westbound traffic off before California Highway Patrol officers moved in to make arrests.
The action was reported at approximately 1:30 p.m. Friday as more than 50 protestors accessed the pedestrian walkway of the bridge and, about ten minutes later, entered the westbound traffic lanes of I80 – briefly shutting it down.
Officers moved in to make arrests and traffic was restored at 3 p.m.
The CHP reported that three people were arrested on an array of charges. They included:
Princess Hodges, 20, of Benicia – was arrested and booked for: 243(C) PC (Felony) – Battery on a Peace/Police Officer with Injury, 69 PC (Felony) – Resisting an Executive Officer, 148 (A)(1) PC (Misd) – Resist, Obstruct, Delay Peace Officer, and 21960A VC (Infraction) – Pedestrian On Freeway.
Jeremy Christian Smith-Batha, 27, from Sacramento – was arrested and booked for: 69 PC (Felony) – Resisting an Executive Officer, 836.6(A) PC (Felony) – Escape or Attempt to Escape With Force/ETC, 243(B) PC (Misd) – Battery on a Peace/Police Officer, 148(A)(1) PC (Misd) – Resist, Obstruct, Delay Peace Officer, 148(B) PC (Misd) – Take Peace Officer’s Weapon, 22210 PC (Misd) – Manufacture/Possess Leaded Cane/ETC, and 21960A VC (Infraction) – Pedestrian On Freeway.
Michael Joshua Alonso, 22, of Vallejo was arrested and booked for: 148(A)(1) PC (Misd) – Resist, Obstruct, Delay Peace Officer and 21960A VC (Infraction) – Pedestrian On Freeway.
One CHP officer sustained minor injuries when he was allegedly assaulted by Smith-Batha.
Clearly these people being arrested have no power. They live under someone else’s rules. Equal justice under the law is just an idea, a fragile ideal that depends upon a consensus of belief in institutions of law and democracy. That consensus is being destroyed. Nobody is going to GIVE us equal justice under the law. That only comes from power. Dick Nixon articulated: “when the president does it, it’s not illegal.” So here we are, in the streets, testing our power and finding none on this day. When you can fire the US Attorney investigating your crimes, that is real power. “When the president does it, it’s not illegal.” How do we get a say in what is justice?