Activists Charged In Violent Inland Port Protest Appear In Court
Nov 26, 2019, 1:06 PM | Updated: 1:07 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Nearly a dozen people who were charged in a violent protest over the Inland Port in July made their initial appearances in court Tuesday.
One defendant in the hearing spoke out following court.
“These charges are a blatant act of political repression,” said Kaden Fralick. “The Inland Port harms our community, and we as defendants are members of this community. These charges need to be dropped now.”
District Attorney Sim Gill advocated First Amendment rights, but he said the Bill of Rights has its limits.
“I encourage in our participatory democracy for our people to go out on the streets and let their voice be heard,” he said. “I think that is the hallmark and benchmark of our constitutional framework and our participatory democracy — but the First Amendment is not a license to violate the law.”
Over a dozen people rallied outside court today before and after a hearing for 10 people charged in a violent protest over the inland port. Details on @KSL5TV at noon pic.twitter.com/PChUVUz0jx
— Felicia Martinez (@FeliciaKSL) November 26, 2019
Each defendant listed in the court document was represented by the Salt Lake Legal Defender Association.
The counts listed against most of them include rioting, a third degree felony; propelling bodily substance, a class A misdemeanor; and criminal trespassing, a class B misdemeanor.
According to court documents, it cost $7,000 to clean up the Chamber of Commerce building following the protest.
The defendants are scheduled for their next court appearance on Feb. 7, 2020.
