Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked traffic on Monday morning along the Kennedy Expressway near O'Hare International Airport, resulting in significant backups and prompting some travelers to exit vehicles and walk to terminals.
The protests at O'Hare, which were among multiple across the U.S., resulted in multiple arrests, according to Chicago police. An exact number was clear as of Monday afternoon.
All lanes of the Kennedy Expressway were blocked between Bessie Coleman Drive and the airport as of 8:25 a.m., with solid backups reported to Interstate 90, an alert from Total Traffic stated. In an update at 9:35 a.m., Total Traffic reported that the interstate had been reopened from "earlier police activity," but solid traffic backups remained.
According to alerts from the Chicago Department of Aviation, the protests “substantially delayed” travel around the airport, with travelers urged to find other forms of transit.
In a post on X, the social media platform, O'Hare Airport urged travelers to allow extra time if traveling to the airport. Earlier, the airport warned of "substantial delays" due to protest activity and urged passengers to consider alternative modes of transportation.
Video posted on social media showed empty lanes in front of a typically busy O'Hare terminal, with travelers having to walk with luggage.
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"They’ve got a right to protest, but they shouldn’t have a right to shut down a whole airport like this," one traveler said.
Passengers abandoned their taxis or rideshares and walked to the airport, dragging their suitcases to try to catch their flights. Others diverted to the Transit and Rental Car Facility to catch the tram to the terminals.
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Not only did passengers miss their flights, the protest also impacted those landing who missed their rides to meetings and appointments.
"It's a cluster to be honest with you," another traveler commented. "I’m not missing my flight. I got in, but I'm missing appointments.”
While Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communication sent out an alert, urging travelers to take the CTA Blue Line to avoid traffic from the protest, it was too late for some.
"It's wrong," a traveler said. "I hope the protestors are put in jail. The cause may be right. There’s two sides to every situation. But it’s not the way to do it. They’re not gaining any fans."
