Protesters in support of Palestine obstructed traffic on San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge on Monday, causing a complete standstill for several hours in what seemed to be a planned demonstration against Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
Far-left group A15 Action said it was coordinating a “multi-city blockade… in solidarity with Palestine.”
Both directions of the Golden Gate Bridge have been shut down due to a Pro-Palestinian protest. Demonstrators have blocked the southbound direction of Highway 101. This is the second protest causing major back-ups on Bay Area roadways, the demonstration has blocked northbound… pic.twitter.com/oO5dMCvqFD
— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) April 15, 2024
“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 group said.
The protesters obstructing traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge displayed a banner that read “Halt the world for Gaza.” Aerial views depicted halted traffic in one direction on the expansive bridge, while lanes in the opposite direction remained vacant, with law enforcement officers on site.
According to A15 Action’s official website, demonstrations were scheduled to take place in various locations such as Mexico City, Ho Chi Minh, Sydney, Athens, New York, and Johannesburg.
“There is a sense in the streets in this recent and unprecedented movement for Palestine that escalation has become necessary: there is a need to shift from symbolic actions to those that cause pain to the economy,” it said.
Earlier on Monday, a demonstration caused a disruption on a highway leading to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. Last October, Israel initiated a forceful offensive in Gaza following an unprecedented assault by Hamas militants, resulting in the loss of 1,170 lives, predominantly civilians, as per Israeli reports.
According to the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled region, over 33,000 individuals, mostly women and children, have tragically lost their lives in Gaza since then. Amidst the Middle East’s current delicate state, a protest took place on the Golden Gate Bridge on Monday. This occurred as Iran launched a significant aerial attack on Israel over the weekend.
Israel, with support from allies such as the United States and Britain, managed to successfully defend against the attack.
In response to a presumed Israeli strike on an Iranian consulate building in Syria, resulting in the death of a high-ranking general, Tehran claimed the attack was retaliatory. Israel is currently considering its course of action in response. On Monday, US President Joe Biden expressed his commitment to preventing the escalation of conflict.
“The United States is committed to Israel’s security. We’re committed to a ceasefire that will bring the hostages home and prevent the conflict from spreading beyond what it already has,” Biden told reporters.
Western leaders, including Biden, are facing a challenging predicament regarding their endorsement of Israel. Although this stance garners support from certain voters, particularly the younger generation, there is a growing belief that the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza amount to acts of genocide. This matter is anticipated to have a significant impact on the upcoming November election, as Biden contends for reelection against Republican candidate Donald Trump.