Mocobizscene- During the bustling morning rush hour on one of Los Angeles’ most infamously congested roads, a group of demonstrators defiantly occupied the southbound 110 Freeway. Sitting shoulder to shoulder, they formed a human chain that spanned from one end of the freeway to the other.
They called for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, chanting and singing in Hebrew. In the middle of the freeway in downtown L.A. on Wednesday, they erected a 7-foot menorah. Those at the forefront of a miles-long traffic jam behind them became increasingly agitated.
Videos captured from news helicopters and shared on social media depicted enraged motorists stepping out of their vehicles and engaging in altercations with the demonstrators near the interchange with the 101 Freeway. KCAL News aerial footage captured a scene where a man forcefully held a protester against a car hood as others shouted in the background.
As the mother and her daughter sat in their car at a red light near the 3rd Street onramp, the mother expressed her frustration by throwing her hands up and exclaiming, “Is it finally over? I believe in supporting a cease-fire, but we’re running late.”
A Palestinian flag fluttered from the passenger window of an SUV as a woman passionately called out, “Free Palestine!”
Ysidro Palacios sat in his pickup truck on Beaudry Avenue, waiting. He was running late for a painting job in South Los Angeles, scheduled for 10 a.m. He explained in Spanish that he had decided to grab a coffee and turned back when he noticed the heavy traffic earlier. “I really hope they clear the road soon,” he muttered.
The California Highway Patrol received a notification shortly after 9 a.m. regarding the blockage of the freeway. By 10 a.m., officers took action and detained the protesters, guiding them towards the awaiting police cruisers. A tow truck was summoned to remove the vehicles left by the protesters, which were obstructing traffic. By approximately 10:30 a.m., the final protester had been escorted away, resulting in the complete reopening of the freeway by 11:30 a.m.
According to the CHP, 75 protesters were arrested for allegedly not following a dispersal order. Officer Roberto Gomez stated that the agency will look into any incidents of physical confrontations.
IfNotNow, the progressive Jewish group organizing the protest, apologised to drivers affected by the demonstration. They believed that this was the only way to effectively raise their voices and draw attention to the urgent need to address the ongoing violence and displacement in the Middle East.
“We’ve exhausted all other options. We’ve made calls, we’ve marched, we’ve sung, we’ve prayed. We’ve written letters and visited offices,” stated Noa Kattler-Kupetz, spokesperson for IfNotNow. “However, politicians like President Biden persist in stonewalling, and Israel continues to take the lives of countless innocent Gazans unjustly. This has to stop. We can’t afford to wait any longer.”
The protesters chanted “cease-fire now” and illuminated a 7-foot menorah on Wednesday to commemorate the seventh night of Hanukkah. As cars waited patiently behind them, they also sang the folk song “Lo Yisa Goy” in both Hebrew and English. The song’s lyrics roughly translate to “nation shall not lift sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more,” as shared by the protest group.
As officers led him away, a protester with his arms bound behind his back passionately exclaimed “Free Palestine” in response to a request for comment. IfNotNow expressed its stance through a media statement, stating that its members strongly advocate for an immediate cessation of financial support towards Israel’s occupation and documented war crimes.
According to Kattler-Kupetz, approximately 100 individuals were actively involved in organizing the protest. Kattler-Kupetz stated that their actions are based on a nonviolent philosophy, focusing on using their bodies and voices to draw attention to elected officials.
According to organizers from IfNotNow, the group intended to pay tribute to the lives lost in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In the October 7 attack on Israel, Hamas militants killed approximately 1,200 people and held over 200 as hostages. Since then, Israeli forces have reportedly caused the deaths of at least 18,400 individuals in Gaza over two months, as reported by local health authorities.
In mid-November, IfNotNow organized another protest that effectively disrupted traffic in a Hollywood intersection. Moreover, during President Biden’s recent visit to Los Angeles, more than 1,000 pro-Palestinian demonstrators congregated at Holmby Park, which was opposite the fundraising event venue.
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