Activists who sympathize with the people who identify as Palestinians blocked the access road of O’Hare International Airport in Chicago on Interstate 190 earlier today, Monday, April 15, 2024 to let themselves be known and heard with regard to their cause. The main problem is that protests do not belong on access roads at airports. What should be done about protesters blocking access roads to airports?
Protesters Blocking Access Roads to Airports: What Should Be Done About Them?
A massive traffic jam was caused by the blockage and resulted in people either walking to the terminals or missing their flights. Dozens of people were reported to have been arrested by law enforcement officers at the airport.
Protesters sat down in the middle of the roadway, wore masks over their faces, and held banners which demanded an end to the war between Hamas and Israel — as well as expanded rights for Palestinian people. Traffic was immobile for approximately 20 minutes on Interstate 190 in Chicago.
JUST IN: All outbound lanes on Kennedy Expressway at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago have been blocked by pro-Palestine protesters.
People were seen getting out of their cars and making the long walk to the terminal so they didn’t miss their flights.
“Vehicular travel… pic.twitter.com/8v58KRCY7N
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 15, 2024
Both the Golden Gate Bridge and Interstate 880 in the Bay Area of San Francisco were also blocked by protesters earlier today for the same cause.
Both directions of the Golden Gate Bridge have been shut down due to a Pro-Palestinian protest. Demonstrators have blocked the southbound direction of Highway 101. This is the second protest causing major back-ups on Bay Area roadways, the demonstration has blocked northbound… pic.twitter.com/oO5dMCvqFD
— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) April 15, 2024
The access roads of both John F. Kennedy International airport and Los Angeles International Airport were blocked by activists on Wednesday, December 27, 2023 to let themselves be known and heard with regard to the same cause.
Final Boarding Call
Although the protests were mostly peaceful, they were also disruptive and unlawful. Innocent people who were simply attempting to travel were greatly — and unnecessarily — inconvenienced. My guess is that most of those travelers who were impacted by the protests ultimately did not sympathize with the cause of the activists when all was said and done.
The activists have every right to peacefully protest whatever cause in which they truly believe; and I fully support that right — whether or not I agree with their cause…
…but numerous other more appropriate places to be heard are available than blocking the access roads of airports. Needlessly inconveniencing people typically does not solve problems or issues. Rather, more problems and issues are usually caused — as well as increased animosity towards the people who attempt to advance their cause.
What if someone’s life depended on an emergency vehicle attempting to respond as quickly as possible in a situation in which no second of time is expendable? Do these protests prevent commerce from being conducted and potentially impacting business in the United States? Were the protesters paid by some organization to block the roads? Are any of the protesters even citizens of the United States?
Some people believe that blocking roadways is a form of terrorism. I am not sure that I would go that far; but I do believe that blocking roadways is unacceptable, inexcusable, and potentially downright dangerous. Law enforcement officers should disperse the protesters as expeditiously as possible upon arresting them; and they should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. If they are not citizens of the United States, they should be deported from the country as quickly as possible.
The problem currently is not if the blocking of important roadways will happen again; but rather a matter of when it will happen again…
Photograph ©2016 by Brian Cohen.
