At their arraignment on Thursday, ten individuals who were detained for obstructing a business street during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Portland entered not guilty pleas.
On Thursday, the Maine Coalition for Palestine organized a full day of demonstrations throughout Portland to support Gaza and what they refer to as “the U.S. government’s complicity in the genocide.”
Liz Seaton performs a song for peace across the street from the Cumberland County Courthouse.
“This song simply conveys the idea that the world and the nation must pay attention to this. And this relates to my aspirations for that place,” Seaton stated.
Dozens of supporters, including Seaton, turned out to demonstrate solidarity with Gaza and those facing charges. John Devlin, like the other nine defendants, entered a not guilty plea and turned down an offer to have the misdemeanor removed from his record in exchange for 30 hours of community service.
“We want this story to continue, not to have it end with accepting the deal that the court would offer us to continue to highlight the ongoing genocide,” Devlin stated.
One of the organizers of the group is Jamila Levasseur.
“We made an impression in the courtroom, because it was impossible for anyone to be in the courtroom and not know why we were there,” Levasseur stated.
Many of the 20 individuals detained on May 21 have turned down an opportunity to have their misdemeanors dropped in exchange for community service. They’re aiming for a trial instead.
In November, Devlin, Levasseur, and the others are expected to return to court.
