Pro-Palestinian protesters demanding a ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and an economic blockade, took to the streets of major US cities on Monday, and blocked highways that led to the temporary shut down of travel towards some of the country's key airports. The demonstrators also protested on San Francisco's Golden Gate and New York's Brooklyn bridges, leading to massive traffic snarls.
The protests that took place in the states of New York, California, Illinois and Oregon came a day after Iran directly attacked Israel by launching more than 300 missiles and drones in retaliation for the April 1 airstrike on its consulate in Damascus that led to the deaths of seven Revolutionary Guards and six Syrian civilians.
According to the New York City Police Department (NYPD), about 150 protesters marched on the Brooklyn Bridge at about 3.15 pm on Monday. The number of demonstrators, however, quickly grew in size, The Associated Press reported.
The protesters were seen Manhattan-bound traffic on the bridge. Videos on social media showed the protesters, few draping the Palestinian flags across their shoulders, stopping vehicles on the bridge.
They were seen moving through traffic, carrying Palestinian flags, banners and shouting slogans.
A CBS News report said that NYPD officers on bicycles followed the demonstrators on the bridge and "started making arrests once a few protesters started lighting what appeared to be traffic flares".
The police, however, did not say how many people were taken into custody, but said that there were numerous arrests.
The bridge had fully reopened by 5 pm.
Earlier in the day, about a dozen protesters blocked the Hamilton Fish Newburgh-Beacon Bridge over the Hudson River.
According to the New York State Police, all those protesters were taken into custody, CBS News reported.
Similar protests were also staged outside the New York Stock Exchange, where several demonstrators were arrested. Some of the demonstrators were also heard saying "death to America", while others burned the American flag.
Also, outside the New York Stock Exchange, a female protester was seen waving a flag of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.
Meanwhile, in San Francisco, demonstrations on the Golden Gate Bridge shut down all forms of vehicular, pedestrian and bike traffic for hours on Monday afternoon.
Footage of the protest on social media showed the demonstrators sitting on the bridge, with some holding banners that said, "stop the world for Gaza now" and "end the siege on Gaza now".
According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), about 20 protesters were arrested.
“Attempting to block or shut down a freeway or state highway to protest is unlawful, dangerous, and prevents motorists from safely reaching their destinations,” CBS News quoted the CHP as saying in a statement.
The California Highway Patrol reopened the bridge in both directions by 12.20 p.m.
In Chicago, protesters blocked the Interstate 190 which leads to the city's O’Hare International Airport at around 7 a.m. on Monday, causing major inconvenience to travellers.
In a post on X, the airport asked travellers "to consider alternative modes of transportation".
Some affected travellers got out of their vehicles and walked to the airport, carrying their luggage.
Operations at the airport were not majorly affected, with delays of under 15 minutes, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation.
Inbound traffic toward O’Hare resumed around 9 a.m., The Associated Press reported.
Meanwhile, Chicago Police said that “multiple people” were taken into custody after the protest.
The city has witnessed anti-war protests nearly every day since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.
The Washington State Department of Transportation said a pro-Palestinian demonstration near Seattle closed the main road to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Social media posts showed people holding a banner and waving Palestinian flags while standing on the highway.
State authorities urged people to use light rail instead.
In Oregon, the state police said 52 protesters were arrested after they demonstrated on the Interstate 5 roadway in Eugene, about 177 km south of Portland.
Since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the ongoing war in Gaza, at least 33,797 Palestinians have been killed in the besieged enclave, while 76,465 others were injured.
More than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals, including 33 children, have been killed in Israel, the vast majority on October 7.
Israeli authorities estimate that 133 Israelis and foreign nationals remain captive in Gaza.
