Nearly 70 arrested in Philly #ShutItDown4Palestine march Saturday evening, police said

Almost 70 demonstrators were arrested in a #ShutItDown4Palestine march in Philadelphia where hundreds of demonstrators took to a portion of Interstate 676, blocking traffic, according to officials.

Chanting things like “apartheid has got to go,” and hoisting Palestinian flags in the air, about 300 people peacefully flowed through Center City Saturday, just before 4 p.m.

The march was part of a national campaign organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation, observing Land Day — an annual commemoration of a deadly 1976 crackdown on protests against Israel’s land seizures — and calling on President Joe Biden to cut off U.S. military aid to Israel.

“We will continue to exercise our right to freedom of assembly and speak out for a free Palestine,” a spokesperson with the local Party for Socialism and Liberation told The Inquirer.

Similar demonstrations took place in major cities across the country, including New York, Dallas, and Seattle.

Locally, it was one of several citywide actions and events happening for Land Day, including a multifaith prayer circle and a social run in solidarity.

During the #ShutItDown4Palestine demonstration — which started in Washington Square — police say about 350 attendees disrupted traffic, heading westbound on I-676 at Broad Street.

Around 6:45 p.m. the city’s Office of Emergency Management sent a text announcing “rolling road closures,” “traffic detours” and delays, citing a “public demonstration.”

Officials say hundreds continued through Center City peacefully, but state police arrested those who opted to stay on 676. The demonstration ended around 8 p.m. with traffic returning to normal. The Office of Emergency Management sent a traffic update to subscribers at around 8:20 p.m. announcing road closures and detours were lifting.

Initially, troopers told 6abc Saturday night they had made 58 arrests and were processing the arrested demonstrators at the state police barracks in Belmont. Philadelphia police also made at least two arrests and issued citations.

By Sunday morning, a state police report confirmed that 67 demonstrators — ranging in age from 17 to 62 — had been arrested for “disorderly conduct.” While most of the arrested participants reside in Philadelphia, some came from other parts of the state and New Jersey. Two were from Maryland and one from Brooklyn, N.Y.

“It was determined that protestors were blocking all lanes of the interstate preventing vehicular traffic to proceed,” the report said. “State Police and Philadelphia Police were able to secure the protestors without incident.”

State police added that the demonstrators were released after being processed with summonses to appear in court.

A Philadelphia Party for Socialism and Liberation chapter spokesperson said Sunday that chapter representatives remained at state police headquarters until all the participants were released.