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Committee forwards resolution urging Sonoma County DA to dismiss charges against nonviolent activists
Summary
The committee unanimously forwarded a resolution expressing support for nonviolent activists prosecuted in Sonoma County for exposing conditions at commercial animal operations and urged dismissal of charges; public comment from an activist framed the actions as lawful under state affirmative-defense provisions.
The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee on May 28 sent a resolution to the full Board urging the Sonoma County district attorney to dismiss charges against nonviolent activists who entered commercial animal operations to document conditions.
Staff from Supervisor Matt Haney’s office presented the resolution and noted a similar measure passed in Berkeley earlier in the year and that the Animal Care and Control and Welfare Commission had transmitted support. The presenter said many of the activists targeted in Sonoma County are San Francisco residents and that their work involved gathering evidence for state regulators.
One public commenter, Jordan Davis of Direct Action Everywhere, urged the committee to advance the resolution and argued the activists acted within state law’s affirmative-defense provisions for caring for sick or dying animals and that prosecutions were politically motivated. The committee had no other callers on the item.
Vice Chair Catherine Stefani moved to forward the resolution with a positive recommendation; the committee approved the motion on a 3-0 roll-call vote. The resolution will appear on the Board’s June 9 agenda for further consideration.
The committee’s action is advisory; any formal requests for dismissal by the DA’s office would be a matter for that prosecutor’s discretion.
