By Joe Sutton and Steve Almasy, CNN
More than 250 more people were arrested or taken into custody Monday in the United States as pro-Palestinian protesters blocked roads and one of the country’s most infamous bridges.
In places ranging from San Francisco and Seattle to Chicago and in the East Coast cities of Miami and New York, demonstrators disrupted traffic (adding rush hours) and prevented travelers from traveling to major airports to protest U. S. aid to Israel in the Gaza war.
On Monday, President Joe Biden, referring to Iran’s attack on Israel over the weekend, said he remained focused on Israel’s security, achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, freeing hostages taken through Hamas and preventing the standoff from spreading.
Dozens of protesters blocked rush hour on the iconic Golden Gate Bridge Monday morning.
Demonstrators carried banners and added one that read: “Stop globalization in Gaza. “Some protesters chained themselves to cars on the bridge, the government said. The bridge was fully reopened for several hours.
Protesters also blocked vehicle traffic at two Bay Area locations, with some tying themselves to concrete-filled drums and rebar, which officials say slowed efforts to reopen roads.
“This is an orchestrated occasion that they set up,” California Highway Patrol Chief Don Goodbrand said. “They blocked three separate crossings on the roads. They prohibited law enforcement, paramedics and ambulances from reaching their destinations.
According to the Highway Patrol, more than 30 more people were arrested.
In Oregon, five more people were arrested after law enforcement officers responded to a protest that blocked lanes of Interstate Five near Eugene.
Oregon State Police said six cars were towed from the scene.
Highways leading to two major U. S. airports are also the scene of protests. In Chicago and Seattle, other people who wanted to get on a plane ended up getting out of the vehicle and walking to their terminals.
According to CNN affiliate WLS, protesters blocked traffic on a highway leading to Chicago’s O’Hare Airport Terminal 1 in the morning rush hour.
“Enough is enough. The U. S. government has not yet left us any options to alter the quo,” protester Simone Tucker told WLS.
About 40 more people were arrested, Chicago police said.
In Seattle, protesters appeared to block the highway leading to the Seattle-Tacoma airport with several cars and held up a sign that read, “Our taxes are funding genocide. “
CNN associate KOMO reported, “It’s possible that some passengers are simply seen walking past the protest, rolling their bags on the road as they tried to catch their plane. »
More than 40 more people were arrested, an airport spokesman said.
In Mamiami, at least two teams of protesters were seen on both sides of a busy street, waving Palestinian flags. Police reported seven arrests.
In New York, dozens of people gathered on Wall Street, waving flags and signs. A protest was also held near the Brooklyn Bridge. While some other people have been arrested, the NYPD has not provided an exact number.
Philadelphia police made arrests, a police spokesperson told CNN.
Hamas fighters launched a bloody assault on Israel from Gaza on October 7, killing another 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages. Since Israel declared war on Hamas, more than 33,000 people have been killed in Gaza and more than 76,000 wounded, according to the besieged enclave’s Ministry of Public Health.
As the U. S. has provided military aid and aid to Israel in the wake of the Hamas attack, divisions have emerged between the leaders of the two countries over new civilian casualties and the humanitarian scenario in Gaza.
Here’s how you can contribute to humanitarian efforts in Gaza and Israel.
CNN’s Cindy Von Quednow and Brammhi Balarajan contributed to this report.
The-CNN-Wire™ and © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc. , a Warner Bros. company. All rights reserved.
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