In a dramatic display of protest, demonstrators advocating for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip brought one of the busiest roads in Los Angeles to a standstill during morning rush hour. Dozens of protesters seated themselves in a row that stretched across the entire southbound 110 Freeway in downtown L.A. on Wednesday, demanding an end to the violence. The demonstration, organized by the progressive Jewish group IfNotNow, called attention to the ongoing conflict and its humanitarian toll, but also sparked heated confrontations with frustrated motorists.

Videos captured by news helicopters and shared on social media showcased enraged drivers exiting their vehicles and engaging in skirmishes with the protesters near the intersection with the 101 Freeway. Aerial footage from KCAL News revealed a heated altercation where a man pinned a protester against the hood of a car while others shouted in the background. Actions escalated further as some individuals in the crowd resorted to grabbing and shoving the demonstrators, even throwing traffic cones and protest signs onto the freeway. Amidst the chaos, a motorcyclist behind the protest line revved his engine repeatedly.

Meanwhile, a Los Angeles fundraiser for President Biden served as the backdrop for another demonstration calling for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. Protesters rallied outside the event, prompting the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) to issue a warning that violence would not be tolerated.

Videos documenting the freeway blockade and clashes between protesters and motorists circulated online, with one clip capturing a frustrated individual shouting, "You idiots are just hurting working people." As tensions mounted, nearby motorists expressed their frustration and impatience at being stuck in the ensuing miles-long traffic jam. One frustrated mother, sitting at a red light with her daughter in the backseat, exclaimed, "Is it over? I'm in support of a cease-fire, but we're late." Additionally, a woman hanging out the passenger window of an SUV passionately waved a Palestinian flag, shouting, "Free Palestine."

The California Highway Patrol was promptly notified of the blocked freeway around 9 a.m. By 10 a.m., officers were detaining protesters and leading them to police cruisers, while a tow truck was summoned to remove abandoned vehicles obstructing traffic. The last protester was finally escorted away by approximately 10:30 a.m., and the freeway was fully reopened around 11:30 a.m.

IfNotNow, the organizing group behind the protest, expressed apologies to drivers disrupted by the demonstration but asserted that they felt compelled to take action to bring attention to the ongoing violence and mass displacement in the Middle East. Noa Kattler-Kupetz, a spokesperson for IfNotNow, stated, "We have tried everything else...We cannot wait another day."

During the demonstration, protesters sang "cease-fire now" and lit a 7-foot menorah to mark the seventh night of Hanukkah. They also performed the Hebrew and English rendition of the folk song "Lo Yisa Goy," whose lyrics advocate for peace and the cessation of war.

According to IfNotNow, the protest aimed to honor the lives lost in the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. In recent months, Hamas militants allegedly took more than 200 hostages and killed around 1,200 Israelis in the October 7 attack on Israel. Conversely, Israeli forces have reportedly killed at least 18,400 Palestinians in Gaza since then, as confirmed by local health authorities.

This demonstration is not the first by IfNotNow, as they previously disrupted a Hollywood intersection in mid-November and organized a large pro-Palestinian protest during President Biden's visit to Los Angeles last week. However, their actions have drawn criticism from some quarters, with faculty and students across the University of California demanding the resignation of Board of Regents Chair Rich Leib due to what they perceive as "one-sided" social media actions that dehumanize Palestinians.

While the freeway closure and subsequent clashes undoubtedly caused frustration and inconvenience for many Los Angeles commuters, the protest served as a stark reminder of the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip and the urgent need for a peaceful resolution.