Editor’s note: This is a breaking news story. Updates will be provided as they become available.
The upcoming trial for three Fort Collins residents who glued their hands to the city council chamber wall is no longer happening. A press release was sent out Friday, Aug. 30, by Claire Kopp, one of the women on trial, stating the trial had been vacated and there would likely be “a resolution of the case outside the typical court procedures and without a guilty plea.”
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The possible charges included fines up to $2,100 and a jail sentence of up to 280 days, according to the press release.
The incident occurred during a routine Fort Collins City Council meeting March 5 when the women glued their hands to a wall after a broad coalition of citizens attended several city council meetings, sent emails and made phone calls asking council to support a resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza. After city council declined to put the resolution on their agenda for discussion, the women felt the protest called “attention to the unprecedented scale of the destruction and civilian death in Gaza,” the press release reads.
A hearing was held at the end of June, but no decision was made — it ended with further awaiting of a trial before a jury in September. Following the hearing but preceding the trial, “a motion filed on May 24, 2024, to dismiss the charges was denied by Judge Joshua Lehman on Aug. 23, 2024,” the press release reads. The trial is now vacated, and an agreement will be reached outside standard proceedings.
Updates will be provided as they become available.
Reach Aubree Miller at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @aubreem07.
Michael • Sep 5, 2024 at 1:16 pm
Two-Tiered Justice system? Why would Pro-Terrorist Antisemites be allowed to avoid a Public Trial for their Criminal Acts? Because defending Gaza’s Hamas Terrorism is a popular left-wing pet project it seems. If this were any other group’s crimes, would this be the outcome, which apparently will be determined in secret.
Stephen Connacher • Sep 5, 2024 at 6:28 am
These foolish women must think that they are martyrs to the cause. What a dumb irrelevant stunt, gluing their hands to the wall? The City of Fort Collins has zero to do with the war in Palestine. Get a life.
Jess M • Sep 4, 2024 at 8:14 pm
City Council needs to stop punishing people who are standing up for Palestinians & the erasure of an entire culture. STOP THE KILLING BANK ROLLED BY OUR TAX DOLLARS