By Kanishka Singh
(Reuters) – Hundreds of anti-war protesters demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and calling for an end to U.S. military assistance for Israel blocked the international terminal at the San Francisco International Airport on Wednesday.
Footage from the scene showed protesters carrying banners with messages such as “Permanent Ceasefire Now,” “Stop the World for Gaza” and “Stop Arming Israel.” An ABC News affiliate put the number of demonstrators at over 300.
Protests demanding a ceasefire in Gaza have occurred in many U.S. cities in recent months, including near airports and bridges in New York City and Los Angeles, vigils outside the White House and marches in Washington.
This month, large protests were seen ahead of U.S. President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address and the Oscars. Demonstrators have regularly interrupted Biden’s campaign events and speeches.
Airport officials said the international terminal remained open but passengers were re-routed around the activity. Activists blocked the roadway outside the airport, marched in circles and chanted slogans.
Passengers planning to reach the terminal were told to get dropped off at the rental car center and take an air train to the terminal. There were no known flight delays.
Most of Gaza has been flattened in Israel’s offensive that the health ministry says has killed over 31,000 people, displaced nearly all its 2.3 million population and led to a starvation crisis in the narrow coastal enclave. Israel’s assault on Hamas-governed Gaza followed an Oct. 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group that killed about 1,200 people.
While the United States has called for a temporary ceasefire to send more aid to Gaza and get hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7 released, it has rejected calls for a permanent ceasefire, saying such a step would let Hamas regroup.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Mark Porter)
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