Pro-Palestinian protesters snarl traffic at JFK, LAX
Pro-Palestinian protestors obstructed traffic Wednesday near the entrances of two of the country’s largest airports — Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) — on what is expected to be one of the busiest travel days all year.
At JFK, the Port Authority Police Department (PAPD) made 26 arrests for disorderly conduct and impeding vehicular traffic, a PAPD spokesperson said.
The spokesperson also said the Port Authority offered free bus rides to the airport for travelers whose travel plans were delayed as a result of the protest.
“At about 11:30 this morning, PAPD was notified of protest activity on the Van Wyck Expressway inside JFK Airport,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
After the arrests were made, the spokesperson added, “The roadway was reopened at 11:50.”
“During the disruption, the Port Authority dispatched two airport buses, offering rides to travelers involved in the backup to allow them to reach the airport safely,” the spokesperson said.
Videos on social media circulated Wednesday morning of protestors holding hands across two parallel roadways, blocking traffic on both, holding banners that said “Free Palestine,” “Genocide then//Genocide now,” “Right to return” and “divest from genocide.”
The videos showed some people getting out of their cars and walking away from the area. The protestors were also heard chanting “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” — a phrase that, according to the Anti Defamation League, is largely rebuked as an “antisemitic slogan” often used by supporters of groups that “seek Israel’s destruction through violent means.”
On the other side of the country, similar protests took place. Images of protests at LAX also flooded social media, with claims that sandbags were purportedly aligning the roads near the airport, preventing people from entering. One photographed sign read, “Ceasefire not enough. Land back! Free Palestine.”
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that the department was aware of the protest activity. Media representatives did not reply immediately to subsequent questions about the police response.
“The LAPD is aware of an ongoing protest within the LAX area. Traffic in the area is currently impacted. Please avoid the area and continue to monitor for updates,” the post read.