Gaza War Protesters Shut Down Golden Gate Bridge, Block Traffic in Other U.S. Cities

Gaza War Protesters Shut Down Golden Gate Bridge, Block Traffic in Other U.S. Cities
Coverage of Gaza War protesters shutting down the Golden Gate Bridge and blocking traffic across U.S. cities. Get the latest updates on these significant events.

Demonstrators protesting the ongoing war in Gaza brought traffic to a standstill on San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge for nearly five hours on Monday, as similar protests were held in other major U.S. cities, including Oakland, Chicago, New York, and Seattle. The coordinated “economic blockade” was planned to coincide with the April 15 tax filing deadline, with organizers targeting “the global economy for its complicity in Israel’s ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people.”
Golden Gate Bridge Protest Leads to Arrests and Traffic Disruption
The protest on the Golden Gate Bridge began around 7:30 a.m. when dozens of protesters stopped their vehicles, blocking all southbound lanes. They displayed a banner reading “STOP THE WORLD FOR GAZA” and demanded that the U.S. cease providing weapons and funding to Israel in the Gaza conflict. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) closed both the southbound and northbound lanes, as well as bike and pedestrian traffic.
Authorities arrested 26 protesters on the bridge, who had chained themselves together using pipes to slow the clearing process. The protesters face various charges, including unlawful assembly, conspiracy to commit a crime, and false imprisonment. Five vehicles used in the demonstration were impounded.
The Golden Gate Bridge reopened to traffic early Monday afternoon following the arrests and removal of vehicles from the span. While some residents expressed sympathy for the cause, others were frustrated by the disruption to their daily lives.

Protests Spread to Other Major U.S. Cities

The Golden Gate Bridge demonstration was not an isolated incident, as protesters in other cities also took action to draw attention to the Gaza conflict. In Oakland, protesters chained themselves to 55-gallon drums filled with cement on Interstate 880, while in Chicago, around 40 people were arrested at O’Hare International Airport for obstructing traffic.
Demonstrators in New York City blocked traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge, and an expressway leading to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport was also shut down by protesters. These actions were part of the coordinated effort to disrupt the global economy and demand an end to U.S. support for Israel in the ongoing war.
The war in Gaza, which began with a Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, has claimed the lives of more than 30,000 people in Gaza, including thousands of civilians, according to local health officials. In Israel, over 1,200 people have been killed in the Hamas attacks, and hostages have also been taken.
Balancing the Right to Protest with Public Safety
While the right to protest is protected, authorities emphasized that blocking roadways and preventing emergency personnel from reaching those in need is unlawful. The disruption caused by the demonstrations led to frustration among some residents who were impacted by the traffic gridlock.
As the Gaza conflict continues to inflame passions in the U.S. and around the world, it remains to be seen whether these protests will lead to any significant changes in U.S. policy toward Israel. However, the coordinated actions across multiple cities have certainly succeeded in drawing attention to the protesters’ cause and sparking a public debate about the role of the U.S. in the ongoing war.

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