Pro-Palestine Demonstrators Cause Road Closures in Several US Cities

Thousands of people took to the streets across the United States on Monday, to protest Israel’s operations in Gaza. The protests resulted in significant disruptions, with major highways and airports affected from coast to coast.

In Chicago, demonstrators blocked a portion of the Kennedy Expressway leading to O’Hare International Airport, one of the nation’s busiest travel hubs. NBC Chicago reported scenes of travelers abandoning their vehicles to traverse the highway on foot, causing substantial flight delays. The Chicago aviation department confirmed the disruptions and noted numerous arrests made in connection with the protests.

Similarly, in the San Francisco Bay Area, protesters disrupted traffic on two major highways during the morning rush hour. The southbound 101, which crosses the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, and the northbound 880 in nearby Oakland were both affected as demonstrators demanded a ceasefire and an end to US support for Israel. However, all traffic lanes have since been reopened.

The protests weren’t confined to Chicago and San Francisco. In New York City, demonstrators were arrested on the Brooklyn Bridge, while in Philadelphia, streets in the city center were blocked off by protesters.

Even in the Pacific Northwest, near Seattle, protests led to the closure of the main road to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Social media posts showed demonstrators waving Palestinian flags and holding banners while standing on the highway.

Further south, in Oregon, 52 protesters were arrested for disorderly conduct following a demonstration on Interstate 5 in Eugene. Six vehicles were towed from the scene by Oregon state police.

These protests in the US are part of a global wave of demonstrations that have taken place since Israel’s siege on the Palestinian territory began last year, after the brutal and barbaric attack on Israeli civilians on October 7th.