Pro-Palestine Protest Brings Interstate 94 in Downtown Minneapolis to a Standstill on Monday Afternoon

(KNSI) — Traffic on Interstate 94 in downtown Minneapolis Monday afternoon came to a standstill due to a pro-Palestine protest.

At about 4:30, Minnesota Department of Transportation traffic management cameras showed several cars with Palestinian flags out the window in each lane of the road slow down and eventually stop. State troopers entered the tunnel from the other side to break it up and ran into issues with protesters blocking them from getting inside.

In a statement posted on Facebook, the state patrol says they support the right to exercise First Amendment rights, “but the freeway is not the place to do so. The closure of an interstate freeway for the purposes of a demonstration is unacceptable. Freeways are used by everyone and are an artery for emergency vehicles. It is illegal to walk on the freeway and blocking traffic is dangerous for everyone involved or impacted.”

Six men, a woman and a juvenile male were taken into custody. Eight cars and three trailers were hauled away from the scene. A gun was also found inside one of the vehicles. Charges against the group include possession of a firearm without a permit, fleeing police, and obstructing traffic.

___