Pro-Palestinian Protesters Disrupt Traffic in US Cities over Israeli War on Gaza (+Video)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Pro-Palestinian protesters caused temporary traffic disruptions in various US cities, including those in Illinois, California, New York, and the Pacific Northwest as part of a global “economic blockade to free Palestine.”
In Chicago, demonstrators obstructed lanes on Interstate 190 leading to O’Hare International Airport around 7 a.m. local time on Monday.
According to Rifqa Falaneh, one of the organizers, dozens were arrested, though Chicago police did not provide a precise count.
In California, protesters chained themselves to barrels, blocking lanes on the northbound I-880 in Oakland, while another group disrupted traffic on the southbound lanes. On the Golden Gate Bridge, traffic flow in both directions was impeded by protesters displaying a banner that read, “Stop the world for Gaza.”
In Eugene, Oregon, demonstrators blocked Interstate 5, causing a 45-minute shutdown of the major highway.
Meanwhile, on the East Coast, protesters marching into Brooklyn halted Manhattan-bound traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge.
Antiwar protesters have held demonstrations in Chicago nearly every day since the October 7 Israeli assault on Gaza that has killed more than 33,700 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.
Travelers heading to O’Hare were advised to seek alternative routes due to substantial delays caused by the protests. Some passengers abandoned their vehicles and walked to the airport along the freeway, considering the disruption a minor inconvenience compared to the situation in Gaza.
In Seattle, a demonstration closed the main road to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for about three hours before reopening. At the Golden Gate Bridge, around 20 protesters were arrested, and traffic resumed shortly after noon. Oregon State Police arrested 52 protesters for disorderly conduct in Eugene, where six vehicles were towed from the scene.
In New York, police made numerous arrests after approximately 150 protesters marched in the late afternoon, with the crowd quickly growing. Meanwhile, in San Antonio, protesters holding Palestinian flags obstructed both sides of the Valero Energy Company headquarters, causing traffic congestion on the city’s northwest side.
