The district attorneys' office is saying that the charges were dropped because the protesters haven't been rearrested during the subsequent year, so they are behaving as though the arrested individuals actually did commit some sort of crime by standing out at the docks with signs, but they are just choosing to let them off with a warning. However, there is no evidence available for the DA to use to convict the protesters. They were attempting to disperse, especially after the police opened fire soon after appearing on the scene, already dressed in gas masks. The police even blocked the route to dispersal for many protesters by standing in lines with guns and pepper spray across the road.