Nine IfNotNow Protesters Arrested During Morning Rush Hour Demonstration in West LA
American Jews and allies associated with IfNotNow LA staged a sit-in on the 405 Freeway in West Los Angeles during morning rush hour, demanding that elected officials call for a lasting ceasefire and an end to U.S. support for Israel’s actions in Gaza. The protest led to the arrest of nine demonstrators.
The sit-in, which took place on the Jewish fast day of Tisha B’Av—a day of mourning for dead civilians and the destruction of holy sites—was organized as an act of solidarity with the Palestinian people. Tisha B’Av is often considered the saddest day in the Jewish calendar.
“As millions of Angelenos and people across the country are struggling to get by, it is a crying shame that our government continues to throw away working families’ hard-earned tax dollars in order to support this genocide,” said IfNotNow organizer Leo Shaffer. He added that Vice President Kamala Harris should push for an immediate arms embargo on Israel to demonstrate her commitment to working people.
Rabbi Robin Podolsky, a member of IfNotNow, emphasized the group’s mourning on Tisha B’Av, not just for the loss of life over the past ten months but also for the fact that these actions are being carried out in the name of Jews.
Organizers acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the protest, particularly to those stuck in traffic, but stressed that U.S. taxpayer dollars are being used to fund what they described as genocide in Gaza. “To all those stuck in traffic, we sincerely apologize for the disruption to your day. We are especially sorry to the working-class people whose lives have been affected,” the group said in a statement. They argued that the greater harm to working-class people is the use of their tax money for military aid to Israel while they struggle to make ends meet.
The group also criticized Vice President Harris and other elected officials, urging them to support a ceasefire, a hostage exchange, and an arms embargo on Israel. They condemned the influence of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on U.S. policy, calling it a tool for ensuring unconditional support for Israel’s actions.
According to the group, over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel with U.S. support, and they argue that a majority of Americans, including Jews, support a ceasefire. They called on Democratic officials to reflect the will of their constituents, noting that 66% of Americans favor a ceasefire, though only 11% of lawmakers have spoken out in favor of one.
“The safety of Jewish people and Palestinians are intertwined,” the group said, adding that mourning Jewish and Israeli life should not mean ignoring Palestinian suffering. They argued that their commitment to fighting for the liberation of all people is rooted in the tragedies experienced by the Jewish people.
