Over the last year there have been numerous protests blocking access to airports including Chicago O’Hare, New York JFK, and Los Angeles. Supporters of Palestinians – and in some cases of Hamas – took over roads, making them impassible, and causing passengers to miss flights.
These blockades probably don’t gain protestors sympathy for their cause. Travelers don’t spend the time stuck at the airport, hoping to get on standby, pondering the demand to cleanse Jews ‘from the River to the Sea’ and thinking you know, the folks who made me miss my flight really have a point.
JUST IN: Pro-Palestinian Protesters block highway and entrance to Chicago O'Hare International Airport..pic.twitter.com/FOitOJtTMr
— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) December 24, 2023
Back in January, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority called these protests blocking roadway access to National Airport ‘a first amendment right’ but this was wrong. Even the ACLU agreed there’s no first amendment right to block traffic. In fact, the protestors were impeding the constitutional right to travel.
One of the major disruptions occurred at Chicago O’Hare in April, and a passenger who missed their flight has commenced a class action lawsuit on behalf of travelers against the protest organizers.
If you’re trying to get to Chicago O'Hare International Airport there are mobs of pro-Palestine protestors blocking the roads and @ChicagoMayor Brandon Johnson is doing nothing about it.
It’s complete mayhem in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/IDacKZhpBb
— Paul A. Szypula (@Bubblebathgirl) April 15, 2024
Anti-Israel protesters in Chicago are blocking roads leading into O’Hare Airport. People are having to walk to airport to make their flights.pic.twitter.com/UgYG7ugSEE
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) April 15, 2024
The suit, filed by the Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute, targets the protest organizers of the April 15 blockade of the main entrance into O’Hare that blocked traffic for three hours.
Their plaintiff missed his flight, killed a day, and failed to make it to a work event at his destination. He’s suing on behalf of other passengers held in their cars, displaced by the blockade, and who suffered the consequences of missed travel. They seek both damages and an injunction against future blockades.
Named defendants include The Tides Center, National Students for Justice in Palestine, American Muslims for Palestine, the WESPAC Foundation, and the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights among others who provided funds or organizing assistance to the “A15 Action” blockade.
A15 Action was a premeditated plot “to identify and blockade major choke points in the economy … with the aim of causing the most economic impact.” A15 Action disrupted sites across the United States, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, and Seattle-Tacoma Airport.
These actions were reportedly part of a broader strategy promoted by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Biden administration’s Director of National Intelligence has warned that “Iranian government actors have sought to opportunistically take advantage of ongoing protests regarding the war in Gaza.”
The damages were real. More valuable is an injunction to prevent these groups and associated individuals form doing it again. But perhaps most interesting would be the depositions.
I think these protestors should be arrested but suing them is such a stupid American thing to do. God I hate our civil litigation system where some ambulance chaser wants to file a suit for practically anything.
First of all they would have to prove standing and damages, then they would have to prove the protest was illegal (which may be a challenge if no criminal charges are filed) and lastly if they get a judgement they would have to collect. Extremely doubtful all these occur. BTW, do people sue if traffic stops them from making their flight? Again, I strongly disagree with the protests but am also sick about this type of needless, ultimately useless reaction.
What these travelers should be furious about are the actions of Israel.
For the life of me I don’t understand why the cars stop for these terrorists. I would drive over the terrorists and back over them at least a couple of times. I would fully expect the city to give me the keys to the city and hold a ticker tape parade in my honor for doing the right thing in performing this public service.
If they care so much they should get the hell out of our country.
A more persuasive way would be to peacefully protest at the departure level drop-off, giving away candy bars and protest at the arrival level, giving away water bottles. Or hand flyers Walmart gift cards.
In Mexico, political candidates hand out Walmart gift cards as a promotional gift encouraging, but not requiring, that recipients vote for them.
Where is my Hamas Walmart gift card???
The reality is that the criminal justice system in Illinois, including the Illinois AG and the Cook County States Attorney, are unwilling to hold these people accountable. As such, this sort of civil action is better than nothing.
Normally, as a defense attorney, I’m very skeptical of class actions, but this scenario is the archetypal scenario for a class action — many potential claimants, all with small claims, which otherwise would be unlikely to be filed and recovered absent a class action. And in this case, the lawsuit was brought by Ted Frank’s organization. He’s the farthest thing from an ambulance chaser there is. He’s fought abuses in class action cases his entire career.
The complaint is worth a read. It makes a compelling argument that the protests were illegal, that the plaintiff has standing and was damaged, and that he has numerous claims against the defendants.
The damages are real (hundreds if not thousands per person, thousands of people), it doesn’t have to be criminal, class action fits, and the pockets are deep, particularly the Tides Foundation, with $1.4 billion in assets. It’s not a bad strategy. See Oberlin case. FAFO.
I hope the good people filing the class action are successful and awarded triple damages. In every city where access on highways to airports & hospitals.
Get a parade permit and protest lawfully & peacefully.
We don’t need any more terror actions in the USA. And never forget 9/11. And all the people that have died from 9/11 health issues.
>SFO/EWR says “What these travelers should be furious about are the actions of Israel.”
And now we get to hear from another dummy who has no clue, but keeps spewing anti-Semitic non-sense…
I have absolutely no objectivity in this matter: I am 1,000% against the illegal protestors & 1,000% in favor of Israel.
@retired Gambler… They sure do have standing since they were directly harmed by these protests. That’s easy to prove. Blocking traffic as they did is very illegal. And collecting is easy if there are any assets owned by the defendants.
@Tony W: totally agree!
So, What these travelers should be furious about are the actions of Israel. Yes, quite so. What right have the Jews got to protect themselves from being burnt alive, raped, seeing their children slaughtered by being put in ovens. Those Pals deserve all they have got and more. If you start a war, you must understand that the other side may stand up and wipe you out. Unfortunately, Israel has been prevented from doing that by the loonie left in America and elsewhere. If you don’t want to be wiped off the face of the earth, don’t start trying to do the same to others.
I believe the need and right to assemble and protest peacefully. But the moment the protest impacts the general public from going about their daily functions and needs, then law enforcement has a right to push that protest back.
Protestors damaging or impacting people trying to go about their daily lives should not be allowed.
Protests that purposely block traffic should NOT be tolerated.
I enjoy watching videos of how real men in Europe handle this.
1) They confiscate and destroy the signs/flags of the protestors.
2) Men in pairs carry each protestor to the side of the road and drop them like a sack of garbage. The protestors is warned to stay there until they men can drive past OR they will get a painful beat down.
Love the strategy – whether it’s jail time or financial hurt we need something to avoid this BS in the future. In the meantime, those supporting this stupidity and Hamas can go to the great down below.
The objective of these protests is NOT to win the hearts and minds of the people being obstructed. It is simply to get on the news. If the news coverage called them losers who are harming their cause, the obstructions would stop.
Public Transit would be better than cars.
If the police do the job they’re paid to do the protesters wouldn’t block traffic for long. The problem is the absence of law enforcement. If the police can be sued, then sue them.
@Retired Gambler
Nah, the beauty of our system is that you DO have a mechanism for writing wrongs, seeking recompense and penalizing those that act in ways that damage you. People complain about civil litigation all the time… but generally don’t appreciate how ugly it is in countries where privileged groups get to disenfranchise people just living their lives.
And, no, I’m not sure why there’s so many anti-Semites among us. It’s very troubling.
If the protestors truly believe in the rightness of their cause, why not volunteer to fight alongside Hamas, much the same as Americans volunteered to fight in the Spanish Civil War?
What’s that you say? Oh, they’d have to give up the comforts and freedoms of their American “home”?
They just don’t make freedom fighters like they used to.
One of the many reasons cities like Chicago are losing population while decently-run cities in the sun belt are gaining. Usually both cities are run by those of a blue persuasion, but the politics of many (but not all) northern cities just seems to think that breaking the law is acceptable.
This has nothing to do with the cause, but these protestors should’ve been treated like the rioters they actually are.
This is the way. If politicians and police won’t enforce the law against them, plaintiffs’ attorneys can go straight to the Judiciary to hold these people accountable for being the menace that they are. Godspeed!
Chicago Municipal Code § 10-8-330(m) & (r).
Protesters do not have a First Amendment right to block pedestrian or vehicle traffic, or to
prevent entry and exit from buildings. For example, a federal court recently held that the
Chicago police did not violate the First Amendment by arresting protesters who were impeding a
heavy flow of pedestrian traffic on sidewalks near Chicago’s Soldier Field, and who disobeyed a
police order to step off the sidewalk and onto the immediately adjacent gravel. Likewise, a
Chicago ordinance prohibits intentional obstruction of vehicle traffic. Indeed, the general public has a right to freedom of movement that police must protect. For
example, to address widespread unlawful blockades of the entrances to reproductive healthcare
facilities, Congress enacted the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act of 1994, which
prohibits the use of force, threats, or obstructions to interfere with access to such facilities.
The protestors seem to feel it is important to block traffic and delay others. They feel it is not important that some of the people they impact are trying to see a dying loved one, traveling for medical treatment, traveling to save someone from a calamity. The fact they were not immediately dispersed and arrested says a lot, this should never be tolerated, NEVER.
Not sure exactly who these unfortunate passengers will sue that will get them any results since the Police are hamstrung by local gutless and and/or sympathetic politicians. The only way to deal with them and put an end to it once and for all is to arrest every one of them, then “misspace” the paperwork and let them rot in jail with all those arrested for participating in store grab and goes!
@ Gennady didn’t disappoint spewing the silliness. Anyone criticizes Israel must be antisemitic, right? What a joke! If we did to Afghanistan what Israel is doing to the Palestinians, US leaders would be facing war crime charges.
While I oppose the stopping of traffic, as far as the lawsuit goes, good luck with that. LOL
Yea. About time. Sue em and win. Tired of all the public disorder and politicians doing nothing. The Mayor… what an ass.
Put me on the jury.
@Retired Gambler protesters do not mind getting arrested but they DO MIND PAYING $$$$. IT IS NOT an American thing to do. Do you reclass the protesters in Europe “Just Stop Oil” cause a lot of problem
When protesters imped the flow of traffic and a EMT can not get to a person who needs care and that person dies then that is murder.
Remember when we had competent leaders who refused to tolerate any illegal action to interrupt our lives, especially by those financed by an anti-American country like Iran?
Nixon relied on the Army to sort and move the mail; Reagan fired the air controllers and re-built the service; Chicago’s original Mayor Daley would not have hesitated to immediately arrest every protester and load them in 18 wheel tractor trailer trucks.
Today, go find somebody who believes Biden or Chicago’s Mayor Johnson have the willpower to stop such an illegal protest.
Regrettably, we have lost that decisive spirit in our leaders who did not hesitate to protect the public interest.
@GREGG
Oh, please. There was no move to feel much sympathy for the National Socialist Enablers that inhabited Germany and Austria in the 1930s. They supported the party, the leadership, the political messaging and the economic benefits they got under “the party”.
It was necessary to root out the evil that inhabited the place.
Gaza is no different. Hamas needs to be put down. Period. Some Hamas supporters are going to suffer. It’s sad, but they did not really need to spend all my aid money arming the Hamas militia, digging tunnels and buying Iranian arms.
If all the people of Gaza are Boy Scouts? I’m sure Egypt will be happy to welcome them into the Sinai. I mean, they’re mostly Egyptian by heritage anyway. Problem solved. Oh? Egypt won’t take em? I wonder why…
These terrorists protesters should be eliminated! Shot or hung, take your pick.
Completely off subject but worth repeating. “If Hamas quits fighting today, there will be peace. If Israel quits fighting Israel will cease to exist.”
@ GREGG. Pay attention to what Burt Convoy has written above. I suggest using facts and history, and not emotions, to form your opinions on matters of magnitude.
Wasn’t the backup at O’Hare really caused by police cars blocking lanes and/or look-loos slowing down and creating traffic? I thought the protestor weren’t actually blocking the road.
But if you’re this angry about missing a flight, imagine how you’d feel if the government kept bombing your kid’s school!
@ Burt Convoy @ One Trippe
That stated, spare me your convoluted view of history. Please put emotion aside and focus on what I wrote. No sane person supports Hammas and Israel has every right to go after Hamas. That stated, Israel’s behavior is subject to criticisms without the tired old kneejerk reaction that we’re antisemitic for noting its failures to adhere to international standards with respect to minimizing harm to innocent civilians.
@ tomri The below is a real stretch. At most it’s depraved indifference to human life and I doubt it is event that.
When protesters imped the flow of traffic and a EMT can not get to a person who needs care and that person dies then that is murder.
Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences.
Civil disobedience does not mean you won’t pay for any laws broken or damages caused to other people attempting to exercise their rights.
Since the local government did nothing to protect the rights of the victims here, they are more than justified in seeking damages in court.
Oh geeze, “the victims.” Talk about first world problems!
As I watched the O’Hare situation play out on local Chicago news, I thought to myself why someone didn’t do what Elwood and Jake Blues did, when the Illinois Nazis were blocking a bridge in Chicago.
If you have forgotten that scene from “The Blues Brothers,” after Elwood and Jake mutter a few expletives about the protesters, Elwood pulls the Bluesmobile out of the line of cars, accelerates hard, and forces the protesters to jump off the bridge and into the Jackson Park Lagoon.