Supreme Court Wills Confederate Monument Protesters to Jail Despite Appeal

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said three Texas protesters can’t delay serving a seven-day jail sentence stemming from a 2020 protest of a Confederate monument despite an ongoing appeal.

For nearly four years, Amara Ridge, Torrey Henderson and Justin Thompson have been allowed to remain free throughout their trial and appeals, but prosecutors said the trio had to report to jail to serve their sentences before the Supreme Court reviewed their case.

Ridge, Henderson and Thompson claim their convictions raised fundamental First Amendment questions and asked the justices to delay their sentences, scheduled to begin on July 23.

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In 2020, Ridge, Henderson and Thompson joined a group of around 30 protesters marching through the small town of Gainesville, Texas, to the Cook County Courthouse, calling for the removal of a Confederate monument.

Portions of the 11-minute march saw protesters diverted from the sidewalk onto the roadway. Police accompanied protesters for the duration of the demonstration, giving them the OK to utilize the roadway.

Three days after the march, Ridge, Henderson and Thompson were charged with obstructing a passageway. The Gainesville Police Department determined that every time a protester walked out in the roadway, they were obstructing traffic.

A jury found all three individuals guilty of intentionally and knowingly obstructing a passageway. They were sentenced to seven days in jail and a $2,000 fine. Their convictions were affirmed on appeal.

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