MLK Day Protest Blocks Bay Bridge

According to the California Highway Patrol, protestors interfered with traffic on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge during rush hour of January 18, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. All westbound lanes of the bridge, heading towards San Francisco, were blocked by about ten protesters chaining their waist and cars together in a line, as shown in the image above. Westbound traffic was halted for approximately 45 minutes and backed up for miles. CHP says 25 protestors were arrested and were booked on misdemeanor charges of unlawful assembly, public nuisance, false imprisonment, and obstruction of free passage.

The protest group, Black Seed, demanded equality by citing recent police shootings and presenting signs that state “Black Health Matters” and “Decriminalize Black.” Their statement is “We are here to move towards an increase in health and wellbeing of all Black people in Oakland and San Francisco.” Their goal was to stay chained for 96 minutes, not only to represent the 96 hours of protest in Oakland over the weekend, but also to reclaim the MLK march.