SEATTLE—Over 150 people occupied the northbound I-5 freeway in Seattle between Olive Way and E. Denny Way on Saturday in a dramatic effort to stop business as usual and garner more public attention for Palestine and the need for a ceasefire.
The action resulted in a complete shutdown of I-5 North for more than four hours. Hundreds more occupied the Olive Way I-5 overpass in solidarity with those on the freeway, shutting it down for hours, as well.
Israel has killed nearly 23,000 Palestinians in the past three months, and the United States government continues to financially and politically support the genocidal war. The Seattle crowds chanted, “Not another nickel, not another dime, no more money for Israel’s crimes,” on Saturday emphasized a list of demands. They include an immediate ceasefire, an end to the siege of Gaza, termination of U.S. aid to Israel, freedom for Palestinian political prisoners, and an end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.
This action was well-organized, with cars and a bike brigade halting traffic before a group marched up the on-ramp and onto I-5 to stage a rally. Around 15 people lined up with their arms locked, with the rest of the group arranging themselves in rows. Another hundred or more people occupied the on-ramp and the embankment between the ramp and the freeway. All participants were notified that they were free to join or leave the action at any time according to the level of risk they were comfortable with.
The few angry drivers stuck in the blockade traffic who approached the group were successfully calmed by the action’s de-escalation team. Many of those stuck in the traffic actually joined the action by chanting and clapping along, even picking up Palestinian flags to wave. Honks, solidarity fists, and peace signs were continuously given from southbound drivers and truckers across the median. Two of those drivers even came to a complete stop, temporarily halting southbound traffic as well.
Snacks, water, Gatorade, cough drops, hand warmers, tissues, and more were distributed by the action’s “care bears.” Trained medics stood by in case they were needed.
Chants and songs kept the energy alive throughout the entire shutdown. One of the most repeated chants of the day was “IDF, SPD, abolition is the key!” Referencing both the Israel Defense Forces and the Seattle Police Department, it linked Palestinian oppression to the oppression of Black, brown, and Indigenous people in the U.S.
The chant affirms that the movement for Palestinian liberation is part of the broader struggle for the liberation of all people.
The energy climaxed at dusk when rain, hail, thunder, and lightning erupted. But instead of dampening the event, the stormy weather sent the group into one last dance party to the “Up, up with liberation! Down, down with occupation!” chant. Around 4:30 pm, the entire group marched off the freeway, back up the on-ramp, and into the crowd which was still occupying the Olive Way overpass. No arrests were made on the freeway during the duration of its shutdown.
This action is part of a wave of bridge, freeway, and other strategic actions across the U.S. demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, and long-term Palestinian liberation beyond that. Locally, there have been recent blockades at the Port of Tacoma and an Amazon fulfillment center in Lacey in solidarity with Palestinians.
As with Saturday’s freeway shutdowns, no arrests were made at those two actions, showing that having a critical mass of people at actions can make them safer and more effective.
Some question how shutting down a bridge or freeway helps Palestinians. The U.S. government is materially supporting the genocide of Palestinians with constant infusions of weapons and financial aid to the Israeli military; American corporations are profiting off the war; mainstream corporate media and politicians are lying about the nature of what’s happening in Gaza; and too many people are indifferent or supportive of the war as a result of those lies.
Under these circumstances, direct action participants argue that shutting down a freeway is a tactic for centering the Palestinian struggle for survival and forcing the public to pay attention. Disruptive public actions, they say, also sustain activist energy and prompt new people to join the movement.
They see these kinds of activities as an inevitable response to a government which continues to ignore the will of the people by sending tax dollars to what many view as a genocidal settler-colonial state.
As with all news-analytical and op-ed articles published by People’s World, the views reflected here are those of the author.
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