FAIRFIELD, Calif. — Fourteen pro-Palestinian activists from the Bay Area were arrested Thursday morning following protests outside Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield that allegedly blocked access to the base.
Codepink, a feminist and human rights grassroots organization, said several of their protesters were booked into Solano County Jail for refusing to stand down.
About 150 protesters stood on the corner of Parker Road and Air Force Parkway outside the base entrance with Palestinian flags and signs reading "Cease Fire Forever" and "Stop Genocide!"
Some protesters then moved into the street to block both entrances to the base, prompting law enforcement officers to tell them they must leave the roadway.
"Each person was then asked individually to leave the roadway and still they refused," the Fairfield Police Department said. "As a result, 10 protesters were arrested at the north gate by Fairfield police officers and four protesters were arrested by members of the Solano County Sheriff's Office at the south gate."
Toby Blomé, a Codepink spokesman, said protesters from the group were allegedly charged with unlawful assembly. Organizers said protesters were there denouncing purported military assistance to the state of Israel.
Law enforcement temporarily blocked traffic and access to the base with yellow traffic barriers, but access has since been safely restored, officials said.
Pro-Palestinian protest outside Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield
Fairfield police said they became aware of the planned protest last week and met with organizers beforehand to ensure base employees could get in during Thursday morning's protest.
"Unfortunately, almost immediately after that meeting, some of the protesters moved into the street and blocked both the north and south gates," police said.
Travis Air Force Base officials say one protester was briefly detained by their security forces for allegedly crossing onto base property.
