Palestine activists have tried to bring America to its knees as protests in San Francisco, Chicago and Philadelphia sparked travel chaos.
Anti-Israel protestors blocked traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge, just hours after another group shut down Chicago’s O’Hare airport.
Around 8.15am, protestors were arrested in Philadelphia after they took over the intersection of Market Street and Schuylkill Avenue in Center City.
Pro-Palestinian supporters have used Monday’s tax day as a way to make a statement in a nationwide ‘A15’ protest.
The economic blockade is happening in solidarity with Palestine and has called for an arms embargo and an end to US taxpayer funding for Israel.
Video of the dramatic scene in the Bay Area shows a large group of police standing in front of the stuck vehicles as protestors hold up a large sign that says: ‘Stop the world for Gaza.’
Lines of backed up cars are seen as drivers hop out and lean against their vehicles during the travel nightmare that has blocked the bridge for more than three hours.
Some people were seen being arrested by police on the bridge, but it is unclear if they were involved in the protest.
On Monday, around 8.23am, protestors sat in the middle of the Kennedy Expressway, linked to each other with PVC pipes and blocked the highway leading to O’Hare airport.
Frustrated travelers hopped out of their vehicles and trekked 20 minutes to make their flights in time.
Dramatic footage of the blockade showed dozens chanting ‘Palestine will be free! Free, free Palestine!’ with a loud drum roll in the background.
All lanes on I-90 were blocked between Bessie Coleman Drive and the airport, but according to O’hare International Airport, inbound traffic later resumed.
‘Allow extra time if traveling to the airport this morning,’ the airport said in a post on X at around 8.30am on Monday/
The demonstrators stalled rows of traffic as some drivers were seen sitting on top of their cars. Law enforcement vehicles were present at the scene.
Many of the protestors were seen wearing keffiyeh scarves as they chanted and waved signs that read ‘Free Palestine’ and ‘Stop Genocide.’
As they chanted, angry drivers started to blast their horns, while others got out of their vehicles and hopped the guardrail to make it to their flights.
The protest, which was organized by Chicago Dissenters, said that they decided to block the airport because it is ‘one of the largest in the country’ that should not be in business ‘while Palestinians suffer at the hands of American funded bombing by Israel.’
They decided to target the airport in an attempt to ‘disrupt Boeing’s operations,’ because the airplane manufacturer is ‘sending fighter jets and bombs to support Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.’
‘ON THIS TAX DAY, THERE WILL BE NO BUSINESS AS USUAL WHILE GAZANS ARE DYING,’ the group said in an Instagram post.
One angry female traveler raised her middle finger at the protestors as walked to the airport and shouted: ‘F*** you!’
Another passenger was seen pushing a protestor as he hurled his bags over the guardrail.
As people walked out of the cars, the protestors guided them to the side of the road and instructed them to exit that way.
‘We have protestors putting their body on the line, they will not move until they are physically removed,’ an organizer said in a video.
The group also posted a picture of a map that showed the congestion on the road as they blocked traffic and said: ‘It’s day 191 of the genocide in Gaza and we are shutting sh** down.’
People took to social media and commented on the protest as one said: ‘It’s past time to criminalize obstructing interstate highways. 30 days in county jail is more than appropriate,’ and tagged Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.
Others commented on police officers doing ‘nothing.’
A person commented: ‘Why do the cops just stand there, every time, and allow these upsets? Every. Single. Time.’
SOURCE: Dailymail
