Dozens of cities see economic blockades by anti-Israel activists

• Published date: 16 April 2024
• Author: MICHAEL STARR
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

The protest was primarily focused in the United States, where it was planned to fall on Tax Day, the deadline to file income tax returns

The A15 organizers were in 29 cities, but autonomous groups planned the event allegedly in over 50 cities.

"A proposal to coordinate a multi-city economic blockade on April 15th in solidarity with Palestine recently received overwhelming commitments to participate around the US and internationally," said the anonymous A15 website.

"The proposal states that 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, as did the port shutdowns in recent months in Oakland, California and Melbourne, Australia."

Protests reported worldwide

In San Francisco, footage published by the Arab Resource and Organising Center showed activists linking arms and raising banners across the Golden Gate Bridge to stop traffic.

"Stop the world for Gaza," read a large banner stretching across the Californian landmark.

The main coordination account for the blockades said on social media that entry into Chicago's O'Hare airport was disrupted. According to the US Palestinian Community Network, 11 Protesters from the Chicago Coalition for Justice in Palestine were arrested for protesting in the city's Federal Plaza.

Activists later rallied at the Chicago Police Department to demand the release of the detainees, chanting, "CPD, KKK, IOF [IDF], you're all the same!"

The Seattle-Tacoma Airport was also blockaded for three hours, according to organizers, leading to around 40 arrests.

In Boston, activists threw fake bloody dollar bills inside Chase Bank branches across the city, according to BDS Boston, because "JP Morgan Chase is one of the top shareholders of Israel's largest weapons contractor, Elbit Systems."

In Virginia, Occupation Free DC and other groups blockaded the lobby of the Lockheed Martin office, forming a human chain across the doors. Activists erected a paper mache model of a Palestinian olive tree breaking what was supposed to be a Lockheed Martin jet plane.

In Portland, Oregon, the April 15 organizers said they blocked entrances to an Intel building.

In the UK, Palestine Action painted BNY...