San Diego

A judge on Friday approved a motion to consolidate the trials of 218 anti-abortion protesters so that 11 defendants at a time will be tried together.

After hearing lengthy arguments, San Diego Municipal Court Judge John Thompson also agreed to send about 50 defendants charged only with infractions to a Municipal Court commissioner.

The others are all charged with misdemeanor counts of trespassing, failure to disperse and unlawful assembly in connection with three protests outside abortion clinics.

Those charged with infractions are not entitled to jury trials, and their cases may be heard in a group Aug. 14.

Attorneys for the protesters were ordered to return Monday for a hearing, at which trial dates will be set for the groups of 11, who probably will be tried this month.

Thompson warned the attorneys that he will not permit them to use the trials as a soapbox. The judge canceled Tuesday’s trial for the first five defendants, set earlier by another judge.

More than 218 people were arrested in the “Operation Rescue” protests but some chose to forfeit bail, and their cases were dismissed. The judge dismissed one infraction against one protester Friday on a motion by the city attorney’s office because the defendant is very ill.

All of the defendants are free on bail.