Colorado protesters who stuck their hands to the City Hall Wall take offers

Two of the three protesters who stuck their hands to a brick wall in Fort Collins City Hall almost a year ago took a plea agreement on Tuesday.

Residents of Fort Collins, Cheryl Distso, Claire Kopp and Hania Sakkal, during a meeting of the Local Council on March 5, 2024, He fixed his hands on the wall of the council room using Gorilla Glue, to protest on the council refusing to adopt a resolution that supports a ceasefire in Gaza.

The packaged meeting was finally stopped due to lack of order, and protest activities continued throughout the room. After the room was emptied, the first respondents were called to release the hands of the protesters.

On Tuesday, Distso and Sakkal were guilty of crimes or interference on a public building, which is a small crime and will pay a fine of $ 75, plus the restitution for the costs of damaging the brick wall.

The restitution hearing is established for April 8.

KOPP did not introduce a plea, waiting for the result of the restitution.

All three women were confronted with accusations of obstruction of government operations and manipulation, which are offenses, together with disturbing a legal assembly and refusing to leave a public building, which are small crimes. The sanctions could have included months in prison and fines around $ 2,000.

What did the judge’s protesters say

In the entrance to their pleadings, Distso and Sakkal made statements explaining why they chose to undertake the actions they did, sharing personal stories and details about the devastation in Gaza, including children’s deaths, moving the US US Israel and connections to companies based in Fort Collins.

Distso said that the activists tried to work through the channels they are at their disposal to receive a resolution, citing efforts to contact the City Human Relations Commission, which recommended the Council to take it.

She said that her actions were designed not to bring evil, but to force the Municipal Council to listen and be a challenge show against representatives who failed to act when hundreds of people asked.

“Please help me understand how lipsticks with lipstick residues are more appreciated than human life,” Sakkal said.

Citizens are upset when taxpayers are used to repair those bricks, she said, when they have no voice, because the taxpayers are used to slaughter people, Sakkal said.

She said that the sliding of cases for one year was wasteful, and the money could have been used instead to help the most vulnerable in the community.

“I could be guilty that I stuck my hand on a wall, but at least I know I got up for something,” Sakkal said.

Cheryl Trine, who is Sakkal’s lawyer, told the judge that the free expression is often the hardest thing when people are in front of their own government.

“I am sad that they are forced to stay here and say they are guilty because in my eyes are heroes,” said Trine.

Yes the judge says the business has reached a balance

Deputy District Lawyer, Dana Didomenico, said that her office supports the agreement, but the disturbance of the defendants has made it impossible for others in the Chamber to address the Council.

But the government must be able to operate, and the plea agreement balances the right of free expression and public protest, she said, mentioning that the defendants do not bear responsibility for the actions of others that night.

Judge Joshua Lehman, Joshua Lehman, thanked Distso and Sakkal for sharing their personal stories, who included loss reports that connected them.

He said he was in favor of freedom of expression when he is done correctly and, without a process, which he said was fully expected, does they were “the mind of a huge disorder.”

The plea agreement is a reflection of this, he said.

“I think this is an appropriate way to solve these cases,” Lehman said.

The small and good crime “does not mean that I think you should stop watching your beliefs and does not mean that I think you should stop your protests or change how you think in any way,” Lehman said.

“I encourage you to continue to endure these problems. I applaud this,” he said. “Do not do it in a way to shut up other people.”