Ex-Disney Actress Arrested for Allegedly Vandalizing Israeli Company Office in Anti-Israel Protest
Police in Merrimack, New Hampshire, arrested a former Disney actress and two others Monday on charges related to the vandalism of an office belonging to the U.S. branch of Israeli defense company Elbit Systems.
The former actress, 27-year-old Connecticut resident Bridget Irene Shergalis, along with co-defendants, Massachusetts residents 22-year-old Sophie Marika Ross and 19-year-old Calla Mairead Walsh, faces charges of riot, sabotage, criminal mischief, criminal trespass, and disorderly conduct, WTNH-TV reported.
The trio were among a group of demonstrators protesting against Elbit as part of a demonstration organized by anti-Israel activist group Palestine Action US, the New York Post reported.
The protesters blocked the building’s driveway, all while shouting pro-Palestinian slogans, and splashed the structure with red paint, The Daily Mail reported.
Smoke reportedly rose from the building’s roof, prompting emergency personnel from the Merrimack Fire Department to respond to the incident, WBTS-TV reported.
When police arrived at the scene, they found the building’s front side sprayed with red paint, while windows were smashed and one of the doors to the structure’s main lobby locked with a bicycle lock, officers said, according to WBTS.
Police took Shergalis, Ross, and Walsh into custody after finding them on the roof. Officers on the roof discovered signs of further damage to the building, such as spraypainting, destroyed skylights, and damaged HVAC equipment, the news station reported.
Former Disney channel star Bridget Shergalis is arrested for vandalizing Israeli company’s offices in New Hampshire.#BridgetShergalis #Antisemitism pic.twitter.com/k34Y6mvKgY
— Green Lemon (@greenlemonme) November 25, 2023
The trio were reportedly arraigned Tuesday at the Hillsborough County Superior Court.
“This is outright violence. It’s criminality. It is malicious targeting of property and of people,” Anti-Defamation League New England regional director Jonah Steinberg told the Post.
“In this time of Hamas terrorism against Israel, it is extremely concerning if Hamas is setting the example for people who consider themselves activists on this side of the sea,” Steinberg added, according to the outlet.
A former actress and comedian, Shergalis starred as Bridget Cook in the Disney TV series “So Random” and Stains in the show “Liv and Maddie.”
Shergalis also made guest appearances in the shows “Dog With A Blog” and “Shake it Up.”
In a Thursday X post, Walsh, one of the co-defendants in the incident, complained of having to pay $20,000 in bail.
Walsh also claimed to face “an extreme level of political repression from the state” and requested for “all the support I can get.”
“History will absolve us,” Walsh wrote.
“This is what happens when limousine liberals who grow up with a silver spoon in their mouth are beholden to TikTok trends rather than having facts on situations,” Republican strategist Garrett Ventry said, according to The Post.
“The continuation of the false equivalence between Israel and Palestine shows just a lack of understanding of history and morals,” Ventry added, The Post reported.
“Elbit America employs thousands of Americans who are dedicated to the mission of creating innovative solutions that protect and save lives,” Elbit Systems said in a Monday news statement shared with WBTS.
“We support the rights of protesters to peacefully express their views. However, what we experienced today was violent criminal behavior as evidenced by the arrests made by local law enforcement,” the company said, according to the news station.
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