In recent days, multiple groups of pro-Palestinian protesters have blocked traffic as they call for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war.
In Cleveland on Saturday, a caravan disrupted traffic in the city's downtown. It also blocked traffic near the city's international airport, causing issues for passengers trying to reach the terminal. The airport reopened after shutting down all entrances for security reasons due to the large number of cars participating in the protest Saturday afternoon.
Cleveland Police said no arrests were made, and no cars were towed. They received two apparent reports of damage.
"People are not eating, there is no food, there is no water," one protester told Scripps News Cleveland. "They're not letting anything in. The people in Gaza are suffering and they are starving."
Plans underway to coordinate effort to bring Gaza aid in by sea
Activists and experts say sea deliveries of aid to Gaza is not enough, and are pushing for land routes.
On Monday morning, protesters brought traffic on Interstate 95 to a halt in Richmond, Virginia.
A group claiming to be part of the protest stated that they were protesting the siege of Gaza.
The group of at least nine people tied themselves together using chicken wire, PVC pipes, and two ladders, as they blocked all lanes of traffic.
At points during the four-hour-long event, there were tensions between Virginia State Police and protesters.
"A lot of people are late for work this morning, that’s for sure," said Columbia Little, who works nearby. "One of them went up the embankment, and the police escorted them back down.”
The protesters claim to be allies acting in solidarity with the Palestinian Liberation Movement, saying they put their bodies on the line to demand the U.S. cease funding for the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.
Virginia State Police confirm at least nine people were arrested, and they are working to confirm the identities and exact charges for those involved.
The protests come as nearly 2 million Gaza residents have left their homes as Israel retaliates against Hamas' Oct. 7 terror attack against Israel. The U.S. has blocked numerous U.N. resolutions calling for a cease-fire.
Reporting from Scripps News Richmond and Scripps News Cleveland were used in this report.
