Early Wednesday morning, rush hour traffic on the 110 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles came to a halt as dozens of pro-cease-fire protesters blocked the road. The group, organized by the far-left anti-Israel organization IfNotNow, aimed to call for an end to the ongoing Israel-Gaza war.
However, as the protesters chanted and sang songs in Hebrew, their presence caused frustration for many commuters who were stuck in a standstill traffic jam. Multiple motorists were seen getting out of their vehicles and forcibly confronting the demonstrators, with some physical altercations breaking out.
Aerial footage from local news outlets showed an angry commuter pinning a protester against a car hood and other onlookers shouting at the demonstrators. FOX 11 helicopter reporter Stu Mundel described the tension and impatience of the drivers, stating, “stopping the 110 freeway, tempers are starting to flare down there. You can see a lot of emotion starting to explode.”
Despite the police presence, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) took a passive stance and allowed the demonstration to continue for about an hour. As the traffic jam grew, some impatient drivers took matters into their own hands, pushing through the small gaps in the protest line.
Drivers on LA freeways are having enough of Pro-Palestine protestors blocking traffic.
Removing the Anti-Israel people themselvespic.twitter.com/BnA6wrYj0O
— sonofabench (@therealmrbench) December 13, 2023
However, as the situation escalated, law enforcement began detaining the protesters and clearing the freeway. In total, 75 protesters were arrested for refusing to comply with a dispersal order. A tow truck was also called to remove vehicles that were blocking the traffic.
Despite the group’s intentions, their actions caused chaos and anger for many innocent commuters who were caught up in the protest’s disruption. The police responded to the situation and restored order, allowing traffic to resume as normal.
