Jewish protesters shut down LA freeway in call for Gaza ceasefire

A progressive Jewish activist group caused a miles-long traffic jam Wednesday morning in Los Angeles while calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The protest began a little after 9 a.m. local time on the southbound 110 freeway. Protesters parked and exited their vehicles, and they crossed all lanes on foot while chanting, “Ceasefire now!” A giant makeshift menorah was erected as they proceeded to link hands and stage a sit-in along the freeway. The event lasted from 9 a.m. to around 10:30 a.m. PST.

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ABC 7 reported that when the disruption began, commuters tried to “take matters into their own hands.” The California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles Police Department officers headed to the scene and began taking protesters into custody. According to a livestream, protesters were unwilling to move their cars, so tow trucks moved them to the freeway shoulder.

Sid Garcia, who was near the freeway at the time, said the event was coordinated with “protesters wanting to be arrested.”

The demonstration was orchestrated by IfNotNow Los Angeles, a progressive American Jewish group “organizing to end U.S support for Israel’s apartheid system.” The activists posted an apology on Instagram, saying, “To those stuck in traffic, we sincerely apologize. We wish there was another way. We have tried everything else.”

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Bruce Thomas, a law enforcement analyst, commented that nearly all 50 protesters arrested could face misdemeanor charges for obstructing traffic. “Most likely, they will be taken to a parking lot and run for any warrants,” he said. The miles-long traffic backup was expected to take hours to recover.

LA freeways have been symbolic sites of protest for decades. In late September, activists used the Glendale freeway to call attention to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. LA hosts a large Armenian community of about 400,000.