Nearly two dozen arrested in downtown Minneapolis demonstration to protest Netanyahu visit

An estimated 200 demonstrators blocked traffic for nearly two hours during the evening rush hour Wednesday in downtown Minneapolis to protest this week's visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the United States, coinciding with similar protests across the country.

Organizers said that police arrested 23 protesters for blocking access to Interstate 35W, a figure that the State Patrol had yet to confirm.

The demonstrators chanted "Free Palestine!" and waved Palestinian flags, denouncing what they consider to be genocide committed by the Israeli military for their armed attack on the Gaza strip and the killing of thousands of civilians, in response to the attack on Israel by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.

They protested on Washington Avenue, with some parking cars in the middle of the avenue to block traffic. Organizers also set up a solid line of demonstrators stretching across the street at the point where southbound vehicles exit and enter 35W.

About 20 State Patrol cars showed up, ran tape across the two ramps and stood shoulder-to-shoulder to keep protesters from getting onto the freeway. They were joined by more than a dozen Minneapolis police officers, who did not attempt to clear Washington Avenue.

As some demonstrators crossed under the tape that troopers put up, they were arrested and their hands bound with plastic handcuffs. Most of the demonstrators were made to sit on a grassy area next to the ramps.

By 7:30 p.m. the demonstrators had moved to the sidewalk, opening up Washington Avenue. But troopers kept the freeway exit and entrance ramps blocked off with police tape.

Said Sara Wazwaz, 22, of Minneapolis, a spokesperson for the Free Palestinian Coalition that organized the rally: "We are calling on Senator [Amy] Klobuchar, who attended Netanyahu's speech, as well as President Biden, to hold Netanyahu accountable by calling for an end to all U.S. aid to Israel."

Ben Hill, a spokesperson for Klobuchar, said Tuesday night that the senator "feels that the long-term relationship between the U.S. and Israel is something to respect, but she strongly believes we must have a ceasefire, a return of the hostages, and ultimately a two-state solution."