Protest shuts down Hernando de Soto bridge in Memphis

Around 300 protestors, organized by Memphis Voices for Palestine and Palestinian Memphians who have relatives in both Gaza and the West Bank, walked up the Front Street ramps onto the Hernando de Soto bridge Saturday and blocked east-bound traffic.

For a short period, the westbound lanes were left open by the protesters left, resulting in frequent honks of support from both semi-trailers and cars.

The focus of the protest, said Jana Abuirshaid, was to demand a ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

Abuirshaid is the spokesperson for Memphis Voices for Palestine. Her own family was forced out of Palestine and took refuge in Jordan before leaving for the U.S. For Abuishaid, the current surge of violence in Gaza and the West Bank is not the first time she's had to watch a large number of Palestinian civilians killed as bystanders in a conflict.

"You get a sense of guilt, you kinda feel helpless," Abuishaid said. "Why is it me? Why do I get to live a life of privilege and get water and get food when people who look like me, are my same age, are in the complete opposite of that. The only difference between us is the direction our grandparents ran in."

She added the other focus of the Saturday demonstration was to demand U.S. tax dollars to go to helping people in this country, including the many needs of Memphians, rather than funding the Israel Defense Forces.

"If you don't want us to be disruptive, you should have listened to our demands," Abuirshaid said. "This is not what we want our money to go to millions of dollars that could have been used to help American citizens is being used to fund wars we have absolutely nothing to do with."

Flanked by marshals, protesters then blocked the westbound lanes of traffic on the bridge. The Interstate-55 bridge was also shut down for part of the weekend by the Tennessee Department of Transportation for maintenance. The closure of both bridges forced a miles-long traffic backup.

For the ascension up the ramp and onto the bridge, those with children and disabilities stayed in the middle of the pack. Organizers called for stronger, able-bodied people to stay on the outside.

Protester Kathryn Suda attended the shutdown because of the staggering loss of life. Thousands have died in the conflict, including children. As someone with children, Suda said it was not OK to stand by and that she did not want her children to grow up in a world where these events happened and were not protested.

"I think that both civil disobedience and causing major disruption like stopping the bridge...this has worked before. This has worked during the Civil Rights Movement. This is one of the most effective ways that you can protest," Suda said.

Suda said she did not have a personal connection to the conflict, but felt it was important to protest the war.

Abuirshaid said in recent months she had seen many more people like Suda, without a direct connection to the conflict, start to speak out about violence against Palestinians.

Another protester told The Commercial Appeal that they joined the protest in support of a Palestinian friend, adding that blocking traffic was less disruptive than enduring a bombing campaign.

While traffic was at a standstill, the chants alternated.

"Free Gaza, long live Gaza!" and "Gaza, Gaza don't you cry, we will never let you die!"

Other chants referenced President Joe Biden and U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, a Democrat who represents a portion of Memphis, as complicit politicians ignoring growing demands for a ceasefire.

Others said they were present to show their outrage about the conditions people in Gaza are enduring and that U.S. tax dollars have been used to bolster the IDF.

Around 3:45 p.m., Memphis Police Department officers arrived at the scene and told protestors that they were engaged in an "unlawful assembly" and needed to leave the bridge. Shortly before 4 p.m., Memphis police again told protesters to disperse.

Protest organizers told those assembled to leave if they felt unsafe but told The CA they would be staying until forced off the bridge by law enforcement.

Recently: International Court of Justice orders Israel to take steps to prevent Gaza death and destruction

As Memphis police repeated their orders for dispersal, protesters began leaving in small numbers. Two lines of protesters remained in place, arms linked, as eastbound and westbound traffic began to pile up.

Shortly before 4:30 p.m., the majority of protesters left the bridge, as protest organizers spoke with an MPD officer. As protesters slowly moved off the bridge, additional MPD squad cars arrived by the dozens. Officers began shouting commands and urging protestors off the bridge and down the Front Street ramp; no physical contact was made between officers and protestors.

Protesters eventually dispersed peacefully after 5 p.m. There were no arrests.

Reuters reported Saturday that Palestinian health officials have recorded more than 27,000 deaths in Gaza due to bombings and sniper fire, including the deaths of 11,500 children and 8,000 women. More than 2 million Palestinians are now displaced.

The United Nations continues to warn of the possibility of a massive death toll due to famine and starvation, as Israel continues to restrict the amount of food and aid that can enter Gaza. A recent ruling by the International Court of Justice concluded it is "plausible" that Israel is committing acts of genocide.

In addition to the 1,200 deaths from the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, the Times of Israel reports 225 IDF soldiers have died in the fighting. More than 100 hostages taken on Oct. 7 remain in Gaza.

Micaela Watts is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal covering issues tied to hospitals, healthcare, and resource access. She can be reached at micaela.watts@commercialappeal.com.

Jacob Wilt is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal and can be reached at jacob.wilt@commercialappeal.com.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Israel-Palestine conflict: Protesters in Memphis block I-40 bridge