The Occupy Wall Street activist who two weeks ago was found guilty of assaulting a police officer as he led her out of a protest in Zuccotti Park was sentenced Monday to three months in jail.

The Guardian reports:

Cecily McMillan, who had been facing a maximum sentence of seven years, was told on Monday morning by Judge Ronald Zweibel that she “must take responsibility for her conduct”.

A civilised society must not allow an assault to be committed under the guise of civil disobedience,” said Zweibel at Manhattan criminal court. However, he added: “The court finds that a lengthy sentence would not serve the interests of justice in this case.”

McMillan, 25, received a three-month sentence to be followed by community service and five years of probation. Having been remanded at Riker’s Island jail for the past two weeks, she will receive credit for time served.

An outpouring of support for McMillan followed her conviction. Nine of the 12 jurors in her trial wrote to Judge Ronald Zweibel, asking him to show her leniency and forgo a jail sentence. Similar requests from members of the New York City Council and prominent pop musicians followed. Two members of the Russian punk activist group Pussy Riot visited McMillan in jail and also wrote to the judge.

Additionally, McMillan’s support team, Justice for Cecily, delivered to Zweibel what it said were 43,000 names of people asking that she not be sent to jail.

— Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.

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