Updated Nov 16, 2023 5:14 pm EST
Top line
Protesters calling for a cease-fire in Gaza shut down westbound traffic on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, according to multiple reports, preventing jurors from reaching Thursday’s installment of the Google-Epic Games antitrust trial, which was thrown out because of the protest – caused a disturbance, the Verge reported.
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Key facts
Protesters parked their vehicles on the bridge, with some drivers throwing their own car keys into San Francisco Bay, prompting the California Highway Patrol to pull over at least 15 protestor vehicles and arrest all protesters on the bridge, according to NBC Bay ■ area.
Some protesters mimicked dead bodies, covering themselves with white sheets as they lay next to a large sign that read “BIDEN Cease Fire NOW!”
President Joe Biden is in San Francisco for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit, a three-day conference that hosts talks between political leaders and CEOs of companies such as FedEx, Microsoft, OpenAI and Uber.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney did not appear in court Thursday as the day’s proceedings were canceled due to a juror who was stuck in traffic jams caused by the protest.
Google Chief Legal Officer Kent Walker is still scheduled to appear in court at 6 p.m. without a jury, the Verge reported, noting that Judge James Donato had summoned Walker.
The California Highway Patrol did not immediately respond to Forbes’ request for comment.
Chief critic
Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted a video of the X protest, formerly known as Twitter, saying he approved of peaceful demonstrations but that “blocking major highways and stopping people from getting to work is too much.” The tech billionaire added: “I just want to move to Mars, man.”
News Peg
The protest, which prevented a juror from reaching the trial on Thursday, appeared to be organized by the Arab Resource and Organizing Center, an activist group that posted videos and photos of X’s protest, telling users to join them in demanding cease fire. The protest is one of many that have erupted across the country in recent weeks over the Israel-Hamas conflict, which has killed more than 1,200 people in Israel and more than 11,000 in Gaza.
Key background
The lawsuit between Google and Epic Games, the latter of which is the developer of the wildly popular Fortnite video game, is rooted in a lawsuit accusing Google of creating a monopoly on Android apps. Epic Games accused Google of abusing its power over the Google Play Store, where Android users download apps, claiming the tech giant would make significant commissions from in-game purchases made by Fortnite players. Epic sidestepped Apple and Google’s app store fees, prompting the tech companies to remove Fortnite from their respective app stores, a move met with lawsuits from Epic. Apple’s case played out mostly in Apple’s favor, while Google’s trial finally began this month, involving executives from both companies in a case that could see developers not have to pay app store taxes or transfer them to users, according to the edge.
More information
The Israel-Hamas conflict: the grim numbers after 36 days of fighting (Forbes)
Epic vs. Google Explained (The Verge)
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