BLM Protesters Shut Down Seattle Freeway During MLK Day March

Seattle, WA – Protesters forced a shut down of a Seattle freeway on Monday afternoon during a march commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Washington State Patrol (WSP) was called to the scene along Interstate 5 after more than a dozen Black Lives Matter (BLM) protesters reportedly broke off from the downtown march and occupied the roadway.

The group joined hands and formed a human blockade across multiple lanes to completely impede oncoming traffic.

Using chalk, the group wrote the letters “B-L-M” across the roadway.

We’ve got a couple of events happening right now in Seattle, the MLK march is headed down Yesler and a group has broken off to block Interstate 5 near downtown. pic.twitter.com/QfkXE2dGTv
— Seattle Protest Network (@SEAProtestNet) January 18, 2021

Video posted to social media reveals the tense moments as WSP officials arrived to apprehend the protesters.

The protesters resisted by sitting down.

Eventually, authorities were successful in clearing the roadway and lined the protesters up against a concrete wall along the freeway.

WATCH video below. (Strong Language Warning)

BLM protesters shut down the freeway in Seattle. pic.twitter.com/cLuNheUbGE
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) January 18, 2021

#Seattleprotest kids are getting arrested for blocking the freeway right now. Large march walking through Seattle right now, as well. pic.twitter.com/kDORQDHoNg
— Kitty Boomhauer 🍇 (@KBoomhauer) January 18, 2021

Thankfully, no injuries were reported.

Notably, according to a report in the Seattle Times which covered the event, march organizers claimed the BLM protesters were not affiliated with their demonstration.

Still, interstate and highway protests continue to be a method deployed by social justice groups to draw attention to their cause.

Just this week, Transportation Nation Network reported multiple groups in Chicago are once again calling for a shut down of a major interstate in the Windy City later this year.