Protesters calling for Gaza ceasefire cause traffic disruptions nationwide
Protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza staged coordinated demonstrations on Monday, effectively blocking roads and buildings in cities throughout the US and worldwide.
Protesters, under the banner of Shut it Down for Palestine, took to the streets in various cities, engaging in acts of civil disobedience. They blocked traffic on San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge, disrupted traffic at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, and staged a protest outside a Lockheed Martin corporate building in northern Virginia.
A group named A15 Action shared on their website that their initiative to organize a multi-city economic blockade on April 15th in support of Palestine has garnered massive support from participants across the US and around the globe.
The demonstrations in the US were planned to coincide with tax day, when annual taxes are due on 15 April. A key grievance in pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the US is that American taxpayers pay nearly US$4 billion annually in aid to Israel, in addition to US$1 billion for the Iron Dome defence system and supplemental aid packages.
A bill currently awaiting a floor vote in the House would give US$14 billion in supplemental aid to Israel. Many protesters have been targeting this major aid package in their demonstrations, which they believe could prolong and intensify Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.
Since the 7 October surprise attack on Israeli military bases and civilian settlements led by Hamas, which killed around 1,200 people in Israel, Israeli attacks have killed around 34,000 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them women and children.
As Israel’s bombardments and siege on Gaza continue, there are growing reports of starvation, dehydration and preventable illnesses due to the breakdown of the enclave’s healthcare system. Multiple human rights groups have described Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide.
Pro-Palestinian activists have vowed to continue various forms of protest until their demands are met, which generally begins with a ceasefire, an end to unconditional US aid to Israel and an end to the siege on Gaza.
