Three activist protesters potentially face jail time for obstructing a roadway during a demonstration in the North Texas town of Gainesville.
Torrey Henderson, Justin Thompson, and Amara Ridge will stand trial on misdemeanor counts of “obstructing a highway or other passageway.” They could face up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine if convicted.
The three defendants are the leaders of a local activist group called PRO Gainesville, which describes itself as “a grassroots group of Gainesville citizens advocating for equality in the face of systemic racism who embrace all cultures and walks of life, encouraging increased involvement in our community.”
In August 2020, Henderson, Thompson, and Ridge led a group of protesters calling for the removal of a Confederate monument that sat outside the Cooke County Courthouse.
Police Chief Kevin Phillips claimed that during the protest, “The majority of the group left the sidewalk and moved into the street, rendering the westbound lane impassable. … The unauthorized obstruction of any roadway presents a serious public safety risk to the citizens of Gainesville and those participating in the obstruction activity.”
Philips further noted that a Gainesville police officer walking with the group instructed them repeatedly not to go onto the road, but that protester leaders allegedly ignored the guidance.
The chief explained that while many of the participants were likely unaware that they were not permitted to protest on the street, the organizers had been warned beforehand not to block the road.
“The leaders knew the rules or our stance very well,” Philips claimed.
“We enforced the law … A law they were informed repeatedly would be enforced,” the chief concluded.
However, one of the protesters, Henderson, asserted that the prosecution “is just another form of harassment and intimidation of protesters, an attempt to delegitimize our work for racial equality in Cooke County.”
The trio’s attorney, Alison Grinter, said, “I’m confident that a jury will see how their decision will send a message to local authorities regarding how protesters should be treated in general.”