Los Angeles City Hall (Photo: Evan Symon for the California Globe)
Pro-Palestinian Protesters Shut Down the CA 101 Freeway, Protest Around LA City Hall
Highway blocked during one of the biggest travel days of the year
By Evan Symon, May 28, 2024 1:02 pm
A large number of Pro-Palestinian protestors blocked the 101 freeway and later marched to the Los Angeles City Hall during a protest event that lasted around one and a half hours on Monday, greatly frustrating travelers in the area on one of the busiest travel days of the year.
Since the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023 when Hamas forces led a surprise attack on Israel, Pro-Palestinian protestors disrupting traffic and high traffic areas has been common. Both the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco have been shut down because of protests, as have highways leading into the major airports in Oakland and Los Angeles. Major protests and encampments on college campuses have also led to hundreds of arrests across the state, including at Cal Poly Humboldt, UCLA, USC, UC Irvine, and UC San Diego. Even City Hall and other government events in many cities have been disrupted, with some, such as in Sacramento, leading to Council members being detained.
However, a weekend attack by Israel on the Gazan city of Rafah where at least 45 people were reported to have been killed sparked a new wave of protests on Monday. This included protests in Los Angeles. At around 4 P.M., dozens of Pro-Palestinian protesters began forming on the 101 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles. All northbound lanes were soon blocked, leading to a huge traffic delay as the high was filled with Memorial Day travelers. Fearing police intervention, the protesters soon moved nearby to the Los Angeles City Hall, where the protest continued until around 5:30 P.M. where possible police intervention once again dispersed protesters from the area.
“We responded to some protesters walking through the immediate downtown area,” said the LAPD on Monday. “Initially they started blocking traffic, but then they were up on the sidewalk obeying traffic laws — and that’s when they went down onto the freeway.”
Dozens protest in Los Angeles
While the protest proved to be minor compared to the larger scale and weeks-long protests recently witnessed on college campuses, the fact that no arrests occurred despite protesters shutting down one of the main arteries of L.A. upset many on Monday and Tuesday. Some in public safety also told the Globe that this could be the start of more “wildcat” protests that could occur this summer, as activists go off college campuses into more traditional protest areas.
“What we saw in L.A. yesterday may be the next form of protest for the Gaza War,” Sean Morrison, a law enforcement advisor who focuses on dealing with public disturbances, such as protests, told the Globe on Tuesday. “Police are monitoring college campuses a lot more stringently now, and as we’ve seen, colleges aren’t afraid to call in for police anymore to make arrests. Meanwhile, as we saw through many of the San Francisco protests, a lot of protests who stop traffic in a major place then move on don’t usually produce arrests. So that’s how they are evolving. Stay in one place, get an arrest record. Constantly moving and stopping? Way less of a chance.”
“And these are only going to be more sporadic. Protests aren’t being announced that well in advance anymore, so when a big event like the Rafah thing happen, they can quickly call together a bunch of people and get there for a quick hit and run protest. Also, again, a lot of students protesters are finding out that their protesting is leading to a lot of consequences for them now. They’ve been suspended, thrown out of dorms, and have had a lot of other things happen to them for going beyond a peaceful protest. They continue that this summer, with far less people on campus, and it won’t end well for them.”
“That’s why these scrappy protests will be what we will see this summer more and more in all likelihood, especially in California where the weather is nice. LA on Monday, where protesters block traffic and piss a lot of people off then go on to cause street snarls and generally disrupt things? That’s what we’ll be seeing again it seems.”
As of Tuesday, none of the protestors at the L.A. protest on Monday have been arrested.
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It these so-called “Pro-Palestinian protestors” really cared about Palestinians, then they be over there fighting for them instead of shutting down freeways and trying to shut down government buildings here? This really isn’t about Israel or Palestine, their paymasters have another agenda?
I’m with you, TJ —- go over there and fight for them if the issue is so vitally important to you.
But of course they would never do that because the whole “protest” is a phony show and the pay is good.
TJ, the only thing they have in common with Hamas is that they don’t bathe and use deodorant.
It’s vital to recognize the power of peaceful protest in bringing attention to critical issues. Let’s hope for meaningful dialogue and solutions that address the underlying causes of such demonstrations.
@Kristen, I don’t know where you have been for the past months but these protests are anything but peaceful. Have you seen what they did to UCLA ? Do a search and check out video from an LA newscast and see what these “peaceful protestors” did to that campus.
EXACTLY, John.
To Kristen and Co.: Ask yourselves as you watch the video at the link below WHAT kind of a person utterly trashes and vandalizes beautiful campus buildings and plazas this way? Hateful, angry malcontents and misfits who don’t have lives make up the core of these foul, vile groups. Provide the core thugs, vandals, and misfits and soon other idiots will show up and follow along of course, wanting to be “part of the action.” But isn’t it obvious that the people who vandalized these buildings and trashed the entire plaza don’t care about or sympathize with anyone or ANY “cause,” least of all Hamas, Gaza, “Palestinians”? Does the hellish ugliness, vandalism and chaos those idiots left behind look like caring and sympathy and peaceful, helpful wishes for their fellow man to YOU?
There are people out there who know how to recruit these misfits and they are hired to do it. It appears that Dem operatives lurk in the background. Years ago James O’Keefe exposed an example of how the misfit-roundup works. One guy knew all the violent misfits in town and hired them to wreak havoc for the ’cause du jour.’ The disgusting mercenaries we saw running wild in the streets are the same types who populated “Occupy,” “Antifa,” “BLM” etc. The same types who were responsible for the chaos, riots, violence, destruction, and burn-it-all-down of the so-called 2020 “Summer of Love.” Apparently, if you know where to look you can always find them. And if you pay them it looks like they’ll do anything you want them to do.
“Pro-Palestinian protestors leave UCLA buildings vandalized, covered in trash”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmBk3T935CI
Yea…I noticed they are, in general waaay more peaceful than what we dealt with a few years ago. Unfortunately what we are stuck with is dissent political website that lectures us about these protesters being involved on one side of this conflict while trying to shore up support for Israel on the other. Yet ANOTHER compromised platform. So much of media in fact really does appear to be Zionist controlled. I think I need a sliding scale for any actual “America First” publishers. BB has become an insufferable outlet, one that can’t tolerate any dissent on that country in the comments section.
It’s vital to recognize the power of peaceful protest in bringing attention to critical issues. Let’s hope for meaningful dialogue and solutions that address the underlying causes of such demonstrations.
Kristen, where is the meaningful dialogue about the Hamas terrorist attack that started the conflict in the first place? That dialogue certainly won’t be coming from these “peaceful” protestors.
“Meaningful dialogue” and “solutions?” Seriously?
It’s always the same B.S. and has been since the phony orchestrated George Floyd protests and chaos and 2020 “Summer of Love,” obviously meant to disrupt and distract in an election year. What does a pretend police abuse incident in Minnesota have to do with southern California anyway? That’s what I immediately wondered when the 101 was shut down THEN before finally I remembering — DUH — how these phonies always operate.
Whoever is behind this blocking of the 101 and everyone who participates in it should be thrown in jail. You do realize, don’t you, that emergency vehicles are on these roads, too? You could be responsible for people’s deaths, in addition to everything else that actually has importance, unlike your paid “protests.” But we get it, what do you care?
If it weren’t for the Dem Party and their proxies and slush funds, meant to intimidate and disrupt, in order to favor (they think) their stupid aims in an election year, we wouldn’t be seeing this nonsense at all. Guess we should prepare for another riotous “Summer of Love,” right? All “spontaneous” and “grass roots,” right? Do you really think there is anyone left who believes in your fakery?
It looks like motorists are going to have to take matters into their own hands to clear the roads.
Is this another purposely planned and well financed disruption to our lives?
Does this reek of the Black Lives Matter’s planned and financed disruptions leading up to the last election?
Is this ANTIFA in a different costume?
Is this an insurrection like January 6?
Is law enforcement being told to stand down, like they had to in Portland some years ago?
Something is wrong with this picture!
These treasonous supporters of a designated terrorist regime: Hamas, are giving aid and comfort to the enemy who murdered and kidnapped innocent civilians from many countries, including Americans! While the indigenous people of the land: Israel, gets their hands tied by the rest of the world for trying to rescue the hostages!
Pro-Palestinian protesters have made a bold statement by shutting down the CA 101 Freeway and staging demonstrations around LA City Hall. This action underscores the urgent need for dialogue and resolution in the ongoing conflict.