Roads to Chicago Airport and Golden Gate Bridge Blocked by Pro-Palestinian Demonstrators

Demonstrators supporting Palestine staged roadblocks in various states on Monday, causing temporary disruptions in Illinois, California, New York, and Oregon. This led to the temporary shutdown of travel routes leading to Chicago O’Hare International Airport, the Golden Gate and Brooklyn bridges, and a busy highway on the West Coast.

In Chicago, protesters formed human chains and blocked lanes on Interstate 190, a key route to one of the busiest airports in the country. This action was part of a global movement for an “economic blockade to free Palestine,” according to organizer Rifqa Falaneh.

Traffic chaos ensued in the San Francisco Bay Area as protesters halted all vehicle, pedestrian, and bike traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge and chained themselves to drums filled with cement on Interstate 880 in Oakland. Meanwhile, demonstrators in Brooklyn disrupted traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge. In Eugene, Oregon, protesters obstructed Interstate 5, halting traffic for about 45 minutes.

O’Hare Airport advised travelers via social media to seek alternative transportation due to significant delays caused by the protests.

Despite the inconvenience, airport operations continued relatively normally with minimal delays, and inbound traffic to O’Hare resumed by 9 a.m.

Arrests were made at various locations, including at the Golden Gate Bridge in California and on Interstate 5 in Oregon, where protesters were charged with disorderly conduct.

Protesters selected O’Hare Airport as a target due to its status as one of the largest airports and have called for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Anti-war protests have been ongoing in Chicago following a deadly attack on southern Israel by Hamas. The conflict has resulted in significant casualties, with the Gaza health ministry reporting a high number of Palestinian deaths.