46 arrested after activists blockade Sea-Tac Airport, target Seattle light rail during ‘Shut It Down for Gaza’ protest

Four cars and a van blocked the freeway at approximately 3 pm. Hamas-supporting activists exited the vehicles with flags and banners and began chanting on the freeway. Others covered themselves with fake blood and linked themselves together.

Travelers began exiting vehicles and could be seen walking with their luggage to the terminal past the terrorist supporters blocking the roadway.

Police and tow trucks arrived at the scene shortly after the blockade began. Officers began arresting the activists and tow trucks began removing the vehicles blocking the freeway.

However, a small group of protestors remained on the freeway. According to KOMO News reporter Jeremy Harris, activists were using a method called "sleeping dragon" to link themselves together, which required police to use a cut team to break them apart.

Police led the linked activists off the freeway and then towed the remainder of the vehicles used in the blockade.

46 activists were arrested.

The freeway was closed for approximately 3 hours while Port Police and Washington State Troopers dealt with the activists.

While the blockade was in place, Sea-Tac officials encouraged travelers to use mass transit. However, activists had also targeted one of the light rail stations at the University of Washington.

A spokesman for Sound Transit in advance of the protest told The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI, "We are aware that there is a protest planned at the UW Station today. Sound Transit is working closely with our law enforcement partners on a coordinated approach as we monitor the situation. The safety of our passengers and staff are our highest priority and will remain the organizing principle for our coordinated response. Similarly, we are committed to respecting the rights and safety of those exercising their right to protest."

The actions were part of a so-called "Coordinated Economic Blockade to Free Palestine" to oppose the bombing of terrorists in Yemen and "to secure global trade, and billions of dollars are sent to the Zionist war machine" in cities across the US. The actions were announced for April 15 earlier this month, which had many asking why many law enforcement agencies in other cities were seemingly caught unprepared.

Earlier in the day, activists blocked the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City, and highways leading to O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, among other roads and bridges in the US.

The protests were advertised using images of activists blocking Interstate 5 in downtown Seattle in January, in which anti-Israel activists blocked the freeway for 6 hours. Though charges were referred by the Washington State Patrol, four months later, no arrests have been made.