Protesters demand Gaza ceasefire closes Bay Bridge

Protesters demanding a ceasefire in Gaza shut down westbound traffic on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Thursday morning, disrupting the Bay Area’s commute to San Francisco.

The demonstration was one of the most disruptive protests yet linked to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in San Francisco, where pro-Palestinian activists have focused on trying to get President Biden’s attention. Mr Biden addressed the APEC meeting on Thursday.

Other groups of activists have protested against President Xi Jinping of China over Tibetan independence, human rights abuses against Uyghurs, military activity around Taiwan and what they see as a lack of progress by many world leaders on climate change and workers’ rights.

Pro-Palestinian protesters said they drove their own cars onto the bridge from the East Bay, stopped at the midpoint at Treasure Island and blocked all lanes into the city. Fifteen protesters covered themselves with shrouds and lay down in front of vehicles to represent dead bodies in Gaza.

The blockage, which the California Highway Patrol first noticed at 7:42 a.m., led to miles of backups along highways stretching into the East Bay.

Lujain Al-Saleh, a 29-year-old living in Oakland, said in a telephone interview that she was protesting because her cousin, a journalist and father of a girl, was killed in Gaza last month when his home was hit. by bombs.

Pete Woiwode, an organizer, said the protesters would remain out “until they are removed or a ceasefire is declared.”

Police began towing the protesters’ cars away after about 90 minutes and arrested at least 50 people.