Source: MediaNews Group/East Bay Times via Getty Images / Getty
Protesters angry over the war in Gaza shut down the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco as part of a day of action worldwide.
On Monday (April 15), the famous Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California, became the scene of a major protest by those opposed to the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Protesters accessed the bridge from the southbound side at 7:30 a.m. local time, blocking the travel lanes on the bridge by chaining themselves to each other, using tubes in what’s referred to as a “sleeping dragon” method. Some protesters held up a banner that read, “Stop the world for Gaza” in capital letters.
The morning commute was brought to a standstill, with law enforcement clearing the protesters and reopening the bridge at 12:15 p.m. Before it was cleared up, traffic was backed up into Marin County on the southbound 101 highway. The California Highway Patrol told members of the press that 26 of the protesters present were arrested for multiple charges, including unlawful assembly, false imprisonment, refusal to comply with a lawful order, resisting arrest and conspiracy.
Some drivers caught up in the traffic jam caused by the protest boiled over into frustration, with one confrontation being caught on camera. “We’re just trying to get home or work, everyone’s just mad,” said one driver, Aung Zin. “I think this is the only way people will listen but at the same time, I wish there was a resolution around it.” Another driver spoke about their frustration as the protests blocked them from arriving for a medical procedure. “I’m headed to the city for stem cell replacement. They’re frozen I have to get there before they thaw. I’m feeling frustrated, I support the right for people to protest but if It causes thousands of people disturbance, it isn’t the right way to go about it,” said Rachel McKim.
The protest was part of A15, a day of action initiating a worldwide economic blockade to display solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza who have suffered over 30,000 lives lost and to call for the end of aid to Israel by the United States. It was set for Monday to coincide with it being the final day for U.S. citizens to submit their taxes. Other protests occurred on the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City, as well as at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
