Protests erupt nationwide calling for permanent cease-fire in Gaza
- A group called A15 Action organized the effort
- Cities across the world are listed to be participating
- Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked traffic into Chicago's airport
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(NewsNation) — Protests erupted Monday across big cities in the U.S. demanding a permanent cease-fire in Gaza to end the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
A website called A15 Action called for a “coordinated economic blockage to free Palestine” on Apr. 15.
“The proposal states that in each city, we will identify and blockade major choke points in the economy, focusing on points of production and circulation with the aim of causing the most economic impact,” the website reads.
In New York City, a group of pro-Palestinian protesters rushed onto the Brooklyn Bridge, moving through vehicular traffic. Following them were NYPD officers on bicycles. Once a few protesters started lighting traffic flares amid traffic, the officers began making arrests.
Earlier on Monday, about a dozen protesters stopped westbound traffic on the Hamilton Fish Newburgh-Beacon Bridge over the Hudson River, CBS News reported.
In Chicago, protesters blocked a freeway leading to three Chicago O’Hare International Airport terminals Monday morning, temporarily stopping vehicle traffic at one of the nation’s busiest airports and causing headaches for travelers. Chicago police said forty people were taken into custody, and charges are pending.
In Miami, several protestors were arrested after they attempted to block the entrance to PortMiami, according to WSNV.
In San Francisco, protesters stood in the middle of the city’s orange vermilion Golden Gate Bridge holding black and white banners reading, “End the siege on Gaza now!” and “Stop the world for Gaza.” Several protesters were arrested at the demonstration, and traffic resumed shortly after noon, according to the California Highway Patrol.
In Oakland, California, protesters shut down I-880 for several hours, according to the California Highway Patrol.
In Portland, Oregon, Interstate 5 southbound in Eugene was blocked by protesters. Oregon State Police said that they ordered the protesters to disperse, and eventually, dozens of people were arrested for disorderly conduct.
Cities across the world are listed to be participating in the effort, according to A15 Action.
“We will act in solidarity with each other in the face of attacks from the media, politicians and the police and the Zionist project,” the website states.
The protests come shortly after Iran launched a direct military assault on Israel, firing over 200 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles Saturday in response to an Israeli strike on an Iranian diplomatic facility.
The U.S. and Israel’s air defenses intercepted the majority of the incoming attacks, though one child has been wounded, and the situation has sparked global condemnation and concerns about potential further escalation.
NewsNation affiliates KRON, WGN and KOIN contributed to this report.
