The war in Gaza has crept into Los Angeles rush hour. A group of Jewish demonstrators closed one of the main arteries of the city of Los Angeles this Wednesday to demand a ceasefire in the Middle East. The young people, dressed in T-shirts that read “Not in Our Name,” jumped onto Interstate 110, which crosses the city from north to south. The protest created moments of tension in a city obsessed with traffic. State police arrested about 75 people after a two-hour blockade.
The protest began minutes after 9 a.m. at a spot on the freeway in downtown Los Angeles. A dozen southbound vehicles slowed, bringing hundreds of motorists to a complete stop in the six lanes of the road. This led to a kilometer-long closure that also affected other major roads through the city. The map apps showed a huge cherry-colored knot at this time of the morning.
The young people, members of the If Not Now movement, sat on the sidewalk. They wore black T-shirts and called for an end to the violence in Gaza. “The Jews now say armistice,” was written on their backs. The group also brought a menorah, the traditional candelabra of the Hebrew holidays. This Wednesday marks the sixth day of Hanukkah.
A driver shouts at one of the demonstrators during protests this morning in Los Angeles.DAVID SWANSON (Portal)
The group is protesting that the United States is sending military aid to Israel to continue its offensive against Hamas, which caused thousands of casualties after Islamist guerrillas invaded Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping more than 200.” “The United States accuses the Israeli army of committing war crimes in Gaza,” the group said in a statement issued during the blockade of the highway. “We cannot remain silent. “It must be impossible to ignore this problem until the killings stop, until the displacement stops, until the abductees are released and the arms are laid down,” the organization added.
The group apologized to those caught in traffic. “We would like this to be possible in a different way,” they added. The organization touched on one of the city's most vulnerable arteries, which suffers from serious mobility problems and chronic car dependency.
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The drivers' frustration was palpable. Some tried to physically remove the protesters, who sat with their arms tied. Another threw a member of the group onto the hood of the car and then to the ground, according to video from a person present. A motorcyclist threatened to run over participants in the peaceful protest.
The temperature rose, prompting state police to intervene. At around 10:00 a.m. local time, authorities began arresting If Not Now members. Agents removed the menorah, which had six candles burning, and a tow truck began removing the vehicles blocking traffic. Half an hour later, two of the six lanes were open. Minutes later, the final arrest took place.
This is not the first protest this group has staged in Los Angeles. Supporters of the movement have turned out at fundraisers around the city led by Vice President Kamala Harris. They then threw red paint on the facade of the mansion where the event was taking place. Last week, during a visit by President Joe Biden, demonstrators organized a protest rally with nearly a thousand participants rejecting Washington's support for Benjamin Netanyahu's war. These demonstrations were less visible because they did not target one of the city's busiest points. “Until our taxes stop funding an ongoing genocide, we will continue to disrupt everyday life,” the group promised this Wednesday.
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