A dozen people involved in a 2013 immigrant-rights protest in which two buses carrying immigrants to federal court were blocked have been found guilty of obstructing a highway and public nuisance.
After a two-day trial in March, Pima County Justice Court Judge Susan Bacal dismissed four charges against the protestors: disorderly conduct, hindering prosecution, obstruction of government operations and criminal trespassing. Bacal also found them not guilty of resisting arrest.
She made her decision on the remaining two charges on Monday. Sentencing is set for July 20.
On Oct. 11, 2013, about 20 activists were arrested after they linked themselves with plastic piping to block the federal courthouse parking lot. They also stopped two buses carrying 61 detainees to federal court to be criminally prosecuted for immigration offenses under a program called Operation Streamline.
Each defendant in the case faced between four and seven misdemeanor charges. One defendant took a plea and another person in the case rescheduled.
Last year, six protestors who blocked the driveway to the federal courthouse were found guilty of disorderly conduct on federal property and failure to follow the direction of a federal police officer. They are appealing.
