Protest blocks westbound lanes of Bay Bridge in San Francisco
Protesters in San Francisco on Sunday afternoon shut down all westbound traffic on the Bay Bridge, which connects the city with Oakland.
As of 5 p.m., all westbound lanes of I-80 were blocked by several cars that formed a barrier across lanes near Treasure Island, the California Highway Patrol said. At least one lane had opened by 6:30 p.m.
Protesters attempted to paint “#BLM” on the bridge’s upper level, but were stopped by police who appeared to be detaining people, KPIX 5 reports.
The demonstration is likely connected to the nationwide uprising set in motion by the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. In Los Angeles on Sunday, thousands marched down Hollywood Boulevard to advocate for LGBTQ rights and racial justice.
Some drivers stuck on the bridge tweeted in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
“Protesters have painted #BLM on the bay bridge and this is the least angry I’ve been while parked at a standstill on the bay bridge for an actual hour,” wrote Amy Foote.
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