The California Highway Patrol was met with a major disruption on Monday morning as protesters blocked an East Bay freeway, causing chaos for commuters. The northbound lanes of Interstate 880 were shut down near 5th Street and Embarcadero, with protesters chaining themselves to barrels brought in by a U-Haul truck.
The CHP had a significant presence at the scene, with approximately 40 officers working to clear the blockade and restore traffic flow. While southbound I-880 remained open, traffic was moving slowly as a result of the protest.
The motive behind the protest was not immediately clear, but the CHP issued a Sig Alert for severe traffic at 6:50 a.m. Big rigs were being diverted onto westbound I-580 to avoid the blockade on I-880.
As the situation unfolded, authorities worked to disperse the protesters and reopen the freeway to normal traffic. Updates on the situation were limited at the time, but commuters were advised to check back for further information on the developing story.