Pro-Palestinian protesters on Monday blocked traffic on the access road to O’Hare International Airport, US media reported.
Several groups of protesters shared videos on Instagram showing a group of people sitting with their hands interlocked on the access road to Highway 190 between the Kennedy Expressway and O’Hare Airport, blocking all lanes of traffic leading to the airport.
The protest began around 8 a.m., after which dozens of police cars and other emergency vehicles blocked the I-190 motorway as police tried to contain the groups of protesters blocking traffic. Air officials said traffic had resumed by about 9:15 a.m.
Protesters carried signs reading “Free Palestine” and “Stop Genocide.” Organisers said they wanted to disrupt Boeing because the company sells weapons to Israel and to demand an end to the US government’s arming of Israel. The group Chicago Dissenters wrote in an Instagram post:
“On this Tax Day, when millions are paying taxes which fund the ongoing US and Israeli bombardment of Gaza, protestors seek to take dramatic action. O’Hare International Airport is one of the largest in the country, and there will be NO business as usual while Palestinians suffer at the hands of American funded bombing by Israel.”
Other videos shared by protesters show people getting out of their cars on I-190 and walking to O’Hare with luggage while the road to the airport is blocked.
A passenger who arrived at O’Hare during the protest shared video footage from the terminals showing dozens of people standing on the side of the road and cars or shuttle buses unable to drop off or pick up waiting travellers.
Dozens of protesters blocked rush hour traffic on the iconic Golden Gate Bridge on Monday morning. Protesters held placards, including one that read: “Stop Peace for Gaza.” Some protesters chained themselves to cars on the bridge, authorities said. The bridge did not fully reopen until several hours later.
Another protest in support of Palestinians took place in the Federal Plaza area of downtown early Monday evening. Protesters blocked off the intersection of Clark and Adams streets and proceeded west to LaSalle Street, holding placards and flags in support of Gaza.
Similar protests took place in other cities on Monday in what organisers called an “economic blockade of free Palestine”. Protesters also blocked all northbound lanes of Interstate 880 in Oakland, California.
