Originally published to The Virginia Defender Facebook page on the date given. Reproduced here for archival purposes.

By Phil Wilayto

RICHMOND, VA, June 21 — A multi-racial group of nine young people arrested March 11 for blocking Interstate 95 in Richmond to draw attention to the genocide in Gaza went on trial today in Richmond General Court, charged with four Class One misdemeanors that could bring them jail time, plus fines.

After a six-and-a-half hour trial in a courtroom filled with more than 50 supporters and an overflow crowd in the lobby, eight of the defendants still don’t know their fate. The hearing will resume for sentencing Monday, June 24, at 10 a.m. in the John Marshall Courts Building in downtown Richmond. Supporters are asking the public to again pack the hearing.

At the request of prosecutor Jennifer Nesbitt, Judge Mansi Shah dismissed two of the four charges: “unlawful assembly” and “use of an unauthorized vehicle on a controlled access highway.”

That left “stop[ping] the vehicle of another for the sole purpose of impeding its progress on the highways” and “obstructing the free passage of others.”

Eight of the defendants pleaded not guilty to the remaining charges. One pleaded “no contest” and was sentenced to one day in jail.

At the end of the trial, which featured testimony by four Virginia State troopers and one Richmond police lieutenant, the judge found the defendants guilty of “stop[ping] the vehicle of another for the sole purpose of impeding its progress on the highways,” but not guilty of “obstructing the free passage of others.”

Nesbitt then asked for a range of sentences, from one day to six months, depending on how each defendant had allegedly conducted themselves during the arrests.

During one of her motions, Katherine E. Poindexter, one of three defense attorneys, all of them women, was able to make a passionate plea about the defendants’ deeply felt need to do something about the genocide taking place in Gaza. Interestingly, the prosecutor agreed that the “atrocities” taking place in Gaza cried out for people to do something, while insisting there must be ”consequences” for actions found to be illegal.

The final stage of the trial consisted of statements by several of the defendants and letters of support submitted on behalf of many of the defendants. The large number of testimonials was what led the judge to continue the trial, explaining that there were just too many to read today before passing sentences.

The testimonials painted a picture of deeply dedicated young activists who divide their time between work, some also attending school, political activism and a heavy dose of various kinds of community service. Several work on farms that provide food for low-income people. One is an artist who beautifies neighborhoods. Others volunteer with nonprofits. All seem to center their lives on a burning desire to help other people, improve society and speak out forcefully against injustice.

And they have already paid a price for their bold action on March 11. After being arrested, they all spent the night in jail. One has since been fired from their job because of their arrest and another is being disciplined by their university, for the same reason. For all eight, March 11 was their first arrest.

The Virginia Defender will be back in court Monday to cover the sentencing. We hope to see you there!

Note: The Defender is not naming the defendants in an attempt to limit doxing.