Sea-Tac Palestine protests: 46 people arrested, all out on bail

AJ Janavel
·2 min read
5

SEATAC, Wash. - Port of Seattle Police announced that 46 people were arrested in connection to a pro-Palestine protest that shut down the highway leading into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) on Monday.

The protest was a globally-organized effort.

Protesters have been calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war for several months, one that was approved only three weeks ago by the United Nations, before being rejected by Hamas this weekend. Following the Hamas invasion of Israel in Oct. 2023, the Israeli Defense Force launched a retaliatory invasion of the Gaza Strip.

This protest comes just days after an Iranian drone strike against Israel.

Officials told FOX 13 that protesters at SEA blocked the road into the airport in a matter of seconds. They came in two caravans of cars: the first formed a roadblock and the second blocked from behind.

Then, the protesters lay down in the road, locking arms together with PVC pipes and duct tape.

The road was blocked for a few hours. Several passengers and flight crew members were seen walking the long trek from the highway to the airport.

A handful of flights were delayed, but minimally.

Port of Seattle spokesperson Perry Cooper said a similar incident several hours earlier in Chicago, plus national warnings, tipped them off of what was possibly to come.

It mirrors a similar demonstration that shut down I-5 in Seattle on Jan. 7, 2024, backing up traffic for several miles. That protest led to several arrests in the following weeks.

There were no injuries during the protest.

All 46 people arrested are now out on bail, Cooper said.

All of the protesters could be facing misdemeanor charges. None of their cases have been referred to the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office yet.

More SEA news

Sea-Tac Airport car thefts on the rise ahead of busy summer travel season

Parking at Sea-Tac Airport: Travelers can now reserve spots

To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX 13 Seattle newsletter.