Pro-Palestinian protesters shut down lanes of Interstate 880 in Oakland for several hours Monday, snarling the morning commute.
Protesters stopped traffic in two separate locations on the freeway: one in the northbound direction in the area of Embarcadero and Fifth Avenue and a second in the southbound direction at Seventh Street.
The protests created traffic backups that stretched for miles.
"Attempting to block or shut down a freeway or a state highway to protest is unlawful, it's dangerous, and it prevents motorists from safely reaching their destinations," California Highway Patrol Golden Gate Division Chief Don Goodbrand said.
Another Gaza war protest happened simultaneously on the Golden Gate Bridge.
The protests were part of a series of economic blockages around the world calling for the end of the war between Israel and Hamas.
The protest on the northbound side of I-880 started at about 6:15 a.m., Goodbrand said.
Some protesters had their arms locked to eight 55-gallon drums that were filled with cement, rebar and heavy duty chains, according to Goodbrand. The drums reportedly weighed nearly 300 pounds.
Authorities were seen using various tools to cut into the drums to remove the protesters.
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Seven protesters were arrested, according to Goodbrand.
The CHP reopened some of the northbound lanes at about 10 a.m. The remaining lanes reopened by 1:15 p.m.
The protest on the southbound side near Seventh Street started at about 8:15 a.m., according to Goodbrand. Roughly 300 protesters took to the freeway on foot. Five were later arrested.
The first southbound lane reopened at about 12:30 p.m., according to Goodbrand. All lanes were back open 30 minutes later.
Goodbrand said the protesters face various charges, including unlawful assembly, refusal to comply with a lawful order, and resisting and delaying an officer.
