PORTLAND, Oregon — Over 50 people were arrested Monday morning when a group of protesters with "Free Palestine Eugene" temporarily blocked all southbound lanes of Interstate 5 between Eugene and Springfield.
Photos show people were locking arms in a line across the interstate, some holding Palestinian flags, and law enforcement personnel were at the scene. The demonstration was about a mile north of the intersection with Beltline Highway.
Oregon State Police said troopers arrested 52 people for disorderly conduct. Two people were also arrested on additional charges of conspiracy and theft. At least one person was discovered to be in possession of a firearm, OSP said. All who were arrested are in custody at the Lane County Jail.
Six vehicles were also towed following the protest.
The southbound lanes reopened around 12:15 p.m. Oregon State Police said troopers would remain at the scene for the time being, noting that observers were still gathering around the freeway. OSP said traffic was blocked for about 45 minutes in total.
Protesters were also seen outside Intel's campus in Hillsboro on Monday. The group called for a ceasefire in Gaza and protested business dealings with Israel, including an expansion of a chip manufacturing plant there.
There were protests around the country on Monday in solidarity with Palestinians. In Chicago, pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked a freeway leading to three Chicago O'Hare International Airport terminals Monday morning, temporarily stopping vehicle traffic into one of the nation's busiest airports.
Traffic in the San Francisco Bay Area was also snarled for four hours Monday morning as pro-Palestinian demonstrators shut down all traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge and stalled a 17-mile stretch of Interstate 880 in Oakland.
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