Protesters accused of shutting down Sea-Tac Airport Drive entering pleas
SEATAC, Wash. - Dozens of demonstrators arrested outside the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport last month will be arraigned Monday.
That means they will officially be read their charges, and then they will enter a plea — guilty or not guilty.
Protesters blocked off the airport expressway on April 15, calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and toting signs reading "OUR TAXES ARE FUNDING GENOCIDE." They locked their arms together with PVC pipes, covered themselves in red paint and lay down in the road, halting traffic for roughly three hours before law enforcement cleared the area.
Airport officials say at least 24 flights were delayed by the protests. Port of Seattle Police and the Washington State Patrol were called in to break everything up.
Port of Seattle told FOX 13 News they were expecting protesters to show up, as it was timed with similar protests in major cities like San Francisco, New York, and Chicago. They say staff were trained on their response and were ready to go.
FOX 13 News had learned the protesters face charges of failure to disperse and disorderly conduct. If convicted, they could be sentenced to a year of jail time and fined up to $5,000.
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Five of the demonstrators hired private counsel and waved their arraignment Monday.
