May Day protests halt traffic at SFO and Oakland airports
Protests disrupted travel at two major Bay Area airports on Friday as part of wider May Day demonstrations. Activists blocked roadways at San Francisco (SFO) and Oakland (OAK) airports, causing delays for passengers. The actions coincided with marches and rallies across the region, including in Berkeley, San Jose, and Sonoma.
The protests began early on Friday morning. At OAK, demonstrators blocked Airport Drive in front of the terminals. They called for an end to deportation operations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at SFO and demanded support for union workers. Some also urged a halt to weapons shipments to Israel for use in the Gaza conflict.
At SFO, the departures-level roadway outside the international terminal was shut down between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Passengers heading to international flights were redirected to the arrivals level for drop-offs. Among those arrested at SFO were San Francisco supervisors Connie Chan and Rafael Mandelman, as well as state Senator Josh Becker (D-San Jose). The demonstrations were part of broader May Day events across the Bay Area. Organisers had urged people to boycott work, skip school, and avoid shopping. Their demands included action on income inequality, workers' rights, and opposition to policies from the Trump administration.
The roadblocks at SFO and OAK caused temporary disruptions for travellers. Several public officials were detained during the protests, which linked local labour issues to wider political concerns. The events marked one of the largest coordinated May Day actions in the region in recent years.
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