SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 13 -- Actor Woody Harrelson and eight other environmental activists who tied up traffic after climbing the Golden Gate Bridge are facing a judgment of 25 hours of community service. As a part of the deal, reached in San Francisco Municipal Court, charges of creating a public nuisance and unlawful bridge climbing would be dropped.
The 36-year-old actor also was ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution. The other activists were fined $100 because they were found to be indigent. On Nov. 23, the activists scaled the bridge's north tower and unfurled banners protesting the logging of ancient redwood trees at Headwaters Forest. The protest snarled traffic for five hours before the climbers came down. District Attorney Terence Hallinan later dropped the charge of refusing to obey police. Hallinan said the protest was an act of free speech and not interference with police. Douglas Horngrad, one of the actor's attorneys, said, 'Hopefully, they will be speaking to schools about environmental issues.' In Sacramento, a bill by Sen. Quentin Kopp, independent-San Francisco, seeks to increase the maximum fine for bridge trespassing from $1,000 to $10,000 and double the maximum jail time from six months to one year. ---
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