A group of protestors calling for a ceasefire in Gaza gathered over the 110 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday morning.
The protest was centered near the intersection of South Beaudry Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard, on an overpass above the 110 freeway. Unlike previous protests in the downtown L.A. area, traffic was not disrupted as of 9:30 a.m., according to KTLA 5’s Ellina Abovian.
Thursday’s action was taken by IfNotNow LA, a group of American Jews calling for peace and justice in the heated Israel-Palestine conflict.
“Today we are calling for an immediate ceasefire which includes an exchange of the hostages and end of the siege on Gaza,” IfNotNow organizer Noa Kupertz told Abovian.
The group hung a banner on the overpass reading “Biden and DNC ceasefire now,” which was visible on the 110 freeway.
“We’re here as American Jews using our voices but really using the power of messaging with our banners this morning to get our point across and clear before the State of the Union,” Kupertz said.
The war in Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of more than 30,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Palestinian Health Ministry, is expected to be a topic in Thursday night’s State of the Union speech from President Joe Biden. The annual speech will air live on KTLA 5 at 6 p.m. PST.
In some of the administration’s strongest words regarding the bloody conflict, Vice President Kamala Harris called for a ceasefire on Monday, but only for six weeks. That timeframe isn’t nearly long enough, Kupertz said.
“It’s a great first step,” Kupertz said. “We need her to call for a lasting ceasefire now.”
Politicians across the nation and in California have heard the calls for a ceasefire amid a politically charged week, with Super Tuesday and the State of the Union address under a microscope.
In what was supposed to be a victory speech for Democratic Rep. and U.S. Senate candidate Adam Schiff on Tuesday, a group of pro-Palestine protestors took control of the room, visibly flustering the race’s frontrunner after a primary win.