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Mass rallies held in major US cities in support of Gaza

Protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza shut down southbound traffic on Highway 880 in Oakland, California. (Photo via AP)

Pro-Palestinian protests continue in the US, the major ally of Israel, with demonstrators demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and blocking roadways in the states of California, Illinois, New York and the Pacific Northwest as part of a national “economic blockade to free Palestine.”

The organizing A15 Action group said on its website that "the global economy is complicit in genocide and together we will coordinate to disrupt and blockade economic logistical hubs and the flow of capital.''

“In each city, we will identify and blockade major choke points in the economy, focusing on points of production and circulation with the aim of causing the most economic impact,” the group added.

Protesters caused traffic congestion in San Francisco by blocking several freeway sections in Oakland and the Golden Gate Bridge during the peak of the morning commute.

On the Golden Gate Bridge, traffic was disrupted in both directions by protesters holding up a sign that said, “Halt the universe for Gaza.”

"There’s genocide going on across the world and people have to be informed about it, whether it’s going to work or on social media," one protester shouted.

"People need to stay informed of what’s going on, babies are dying,” he continued

In Chicago, demonstrators linked arms and blocked lanes leading to O'Hare International Airport, resulting in major traffic and prompting some travelers to exit vehicles and walk to terminals.

Protesters say they chose O’Hare in part because it is one of the largest airports in the US.

At least 40 people were arrested during the demonstrations, authorities said.

Anti-war protesters have held demonstrations in Chicago nearly every day since Israel's war on Gaza that has killed at least 33,797 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, and wounded another 76,465 individuals, according to the health ministry in the territory.

Protesters marching into Brooklyn, New York also blocked Manhattan-bound traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge. New York Police made numerous arrests, saying at least 150 protesters were initially involved in the march but that number quickly grew.

The Washington State Department of Transportation reported that a demonstration in the vicinity of Seattle caused the closure of the primary road leading to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Images shared on social media depicted individuals standing on the highway, holding a banner and waving Palestinian flags.

Demonstrators waving Palestinian flags disrupted traffic flow on both sides of the Valero Energy Company headquarters in San Antonio, leading to congestion in the northwest part of the city.

Road blockages from protests were also reported in Philadelphia, Florida, Texas, and in Ottawa, Canad

Israel began the war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for the regime's intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

The regime has cut off fuel, electricity, food, and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.

According to the UN, the ongoing Israeli genocide has resulted in the internal displacement of 85% of Gaza's population, who are now facing severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.


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