Dozens of protesters on Thursday shut down the westbound lanes of the Bay Bridge for roughly four hours, demanding that President Joe Biden call for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war.
The protesters locked arms across all lanes of traffic east of Treasure Island and displayed a banner reading "Biden Harris: Ceasefire Now," according to organizers. The protest started at about 7:40 a.m., just a few hours before Biden was scheduled to speak at the APEC summit in San Francisco.
Some of the protesters also held a “die-in,” covering their bodies in white sheets and placards that read “11,000 dead."
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
Police, sheriff's deputies and California Highway Patrol units responded to the scene and detained the protesters. The San Francisco Sheriff's Office said roughly 80 protesters were cited and released.
At least five tow trucks were at the scene towing away at least 15 protesters' vehicles. The CHP said the drivers of those vehicles tossed the keys into the bay.
All westbound lanes reopened at about 11:45 a.m.
Local
For many motorists stuck in the backup, the protesters' message was lost to the frustration.
"Craziness," one motorist said. "They have a right, but it was kind of pointless. They're not going to really change any outcome, are they? They just made our lives very difficult."
"A lot of people work paycheck to paycheck and they are one paycheck away from going homeless," Nikita Mehta added. "This is wildly irresponsible in my mind just for the community that they are speaking to. They are speaking to the underprivileged people."
The University of California, San Francisco said the backup on the bridge triggered hospital staffing shortages, forced cancellations of elective surgeries and resulted in major delays for three patients waiting for organ transplants. Doctors said those delays may now impact patient recovery.
UCSF said it was not the only hospital impacted, adding that even though the bridge reopened, the fallout was likely to have an impact through the evening.
