ST. LOUIS — A Pro-Palestinian protest shut down eastbound Interstate 64 near Forest Park Friday evening as hundreds of demonstrators continued calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Police preemptively closed the eastbound lanes to traffic at around 7 p.m. as protesters made their way down Skinker Boulevard toward the interstate. Demonstrators briefly marched onto the on-ramp at around 7:30 p.m. before continuing back onto Skinker Boulevard.
The march Friday night was the second large-scale Pro-Palestine protest held in the city this week, the first being held Wednesday night at Saint Louis University. The protests follow a similar protest last weekend at Washington University that resulted in more than 100 arrests.
Demonstrators gathered Friday at around 5 p.m. in Forest Park near Lindell and Skinker boulevards. They then marched down Skinker Boulevard to Forest Park Parkway, where they blocked the roadway while holding signs and chanting "free Palestine" and "cease fire."
5 On Your Side's Robert Townsend witnessed a man honking his horn at the group. The man then jumped out of his vehicle and got into an altercation with several protesters before driving through the crowd. Police were seen speaking to the man after the incident.
Protesters then continued down Skinker Boulevard, where a couple dozen demonstrators laid Islamic prayer rugs down at the Clayton Road intersection and performed the Asr prayer.
The group then marched onto the eastbound I-64 ramp before continuing back onto Skinker Boulevard.
Traffic reopened fully on I-64 shortly before 8 p.m.
Last Saturday, Washington University students and community members established a short-lived encampment, calling on WashU to divest from Boeing Co., among other demands. After warnings for demonstrators to leave the private campus, the Washington University Police Department arrested more than 100 people, including Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein.