UCSC Highway Six Back in Court June 29 & 30

The six UCSC students charged in association with the March 3 blockade of Highway 17, where it meets Highway 1 in Santa Cruz, will be back in court on June 29 and June 30. On June 29 at 10:00am, there will be a hearing in Santa Cruz County Superior Court to finalize their sentence, and on June 30 at 1:30pm there will be a restitution hearing.

The defendants and their supporters gather May 7 at the Santa Cruz Court House.

The students all pleaded "no contest" to two misdemeanor counts each at their last court appearance on May 7, which was followed by a press conference where three members of the group, Sophia DiMatteo, Ethan Pezzolo, and Lori Nixon, discussed for the first time publicly what motivated them on March 3.

The students each face a possible sentence of 30 days, and the prosecution has estimated the amount of restitution they are seeking is approximately $40,000.

They have issued a call for court support: "We need to fill the court room with supporters to let the judge know that the community stands with us. That our action was FOR the community, NOT against it. We need to hold the cops, the judge, the university, and the state accountable. This means the community needs to physically show up and be seen. So please come, stand with us against the powers that be. Bodies make a difference!!!"

[Photos and video are from the the Highway Six press conference in front of the Santa Cruz Court House on May 7.]

Press conference.

Ethan Pezzolo and Sophia DiMatteo.

Lori Nixon.

Sophia DiMatteo.

Julia of Santa Cruz Food Not Bombs reads a statement of support.