Twenty-three pro-Hamas demonstrators were arrested on February 1, 2024, after blocking several major roadways and disrupting traffic in Washington, DC. They were charged with “crowding, obstructing, or incommoding” (a legal term for blocking traffic – DI). US Capitol Police made 11 arrests, US Park Police arrested four demonstrators, and DC police arrested eight. Some of the detainees also faced additional charges for resisting arrest.
Last Friday, the Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute filed a lawsuit in DC US District Court for “verified complaint for conspiracy to commit public nuisance and false imprisonment,” on behalf of Daniel Faoro, who was caught in the blockade. The institute described the traffic jam as “perhaps the most disruptive action by anti-Israel activists” and claimed that commuters “were trapped in their vehicles with no inkling as to when their freedom of movement would be restored.”
HAPPENING NOW: Hundreds of protesters are blocking 5 major roadways in DC & rallying at Union Station to end the genocide.
They’re stopping US gov’t war criminals from getting to work. NO BUSINESS AS USUAL! SHUT IT DOWN!
This is 23rd & Constitution near the State Dept. pic.twitter.com/QgFK1gSU0X
— USCPR #StopArmingIsrael (@USCPR_) February 1, 2024
The defendants are: Jewish Voice for Peace, Inc.; Palestinian Youth Movement; Wespac Foundation, Inc.; Harriet’s Wildest Dreams, Inc.; Dornethia “Nee Nee” Taylor; Party of Socialism and Liberation; Brian B. Ecker; OccupationFreeDC; Hannah Shraim; and Maryland2Palestine.
The complaint said that “Thousands of commuters were late for work or school, or missed critical appointments and important events, some of which may have been scheduled weeks in advance. Plaintiff Faoro and other innocent class members traveling into and around the District that morning had nothing to do with the conflict thousands of miles away, or the debate within Congress regarding support for Israel; many probably have no opinion at all on the issue.”
“Blocking roads is not free speech—it’s lawlessness. These activists disrupted daily life for countless individuals. HLLI’s lawsuit seeks to ensure that those responsible face consequences and that this kind of behavior is not repeated,” Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute president Anna St. John told the Washington Free Beacon, asserting that “Blocking roads is not free speech—it’s lawlessness.”
The lawsuit notes that “The February 1, 2024, blockade was one of many unlawful and disruptive actions carried out by anti-Israel activists following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
“For example, on October 18, 2023, activists, including members of the defendant group Jewish Voice for Peace, illegally occupied Congressional office buildings to disrupt Congress, leading to 300 arrests. The following month, activists attempted to shut down Union Station during rush hour in support of Hamas.
“On January 13, 2024, anti-Israel activists marched on the White House, disrupting traffic around the White House and Lafayette Square. Later that month, activists flying Palestinian flags used their vehicles to severely impede traffic on the George Washington Parkway, blocking access to Reagan National Airport.
“At least four of the named defendants—Palestinian Youth Movement, OccupationFreeDC, MD2Palestine, and the Party of Socialism & Liberation—appear to have organized the action and proudly publicized it on social media.”
FALSE IMPRISONMENT
According to the lawsuit, “As a direct and foreseeable result of the defendants’ conspiracy and coordinated actions on February 1, 2024, the plaintiff and class members were unlawfully restrained and deprived of their physical liberty without consent or legal justification.
“Furthermore, the defendants’ actions directly caused the plaintiff and class members to suffer damages, including but not limited to:
a. Lost wages and income;
b. Annoyance, inconvenience, physical discomfort, anxiety, and emotional distress from being confined in a stationary vehicle for an unreasonable period, with uncertainty about when they could resume travel; and
c. Loss of personal freedom.
“By substantially restraining the physical liberty of the plaintiff and class members without consent or legal justification, the defendants committed false imprisonment. As a result, they are liable for all damages arising from their unlawful conduct, including compensatory, punitive, and injunctive relief.”
REMEDIES
“Plaintiff respectfully requests that this Court:
“a. Certify the proposed class pursuant to Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure;
b. Designate the plaintiff as the representative of the proposed class and designate his counsel as class counsel;
c. Enter judgment in favor of the plaintiff and class members against the defendants;
d. Award compensatory and punitive damages, as well as attorneys’ fees and costs, including pre-judgment interest and post-judgment interest, to the plaintiff and class members;
e. Order injunctive relief to prohibit the defendants from further engaging in the unlawful conduct alleged in this complaint; and
f. Award any other legal or equitable relief that the Court deems appropriate, including, but not limited to, attorneys’ fees and nominal damages.”
Let’s hope they land a Trump-appointed judge…
