Members of the group known as the United Front for Liberation appeared for their first trial date on Wednesday, August 20, at the Kern County Superior Courthouse in Bakersfield. Supporters also attended to show support.

Nine members of the group had been arrested in March 2024 after speaking out for Palestinian rights during a Bakersfield City Council meeting on March 27. The group said the charges were unjust and described them as an attempt to silence community activists.

An organizer with the United Front for Liberation said the court proceeding on August 20 resulted in another postponement of the trial. Two of the members had their hearings today.

The case stems from arrests made on March 27, 2024, when nine people were detained after a Bakersfield City Council meeting. That meeting marked the fifth time members from United Front had appeared before the council to call and express support for a ceasefire resolution regarding the war in Gaza.

The group also linked the March 2024 arrests to wider concerns about immigration enforcement. The organizer referenced a recent protest where community members said a local migrant worker was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Protesters claimed that the detention was unlawful and described it as another example of state repression.