A protest outside Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield this week resulted in dozens of arrests, but no injuries to police or demonstrators.
Fairfield police arrested 28 people blocking entrances to the base Wednesday morning during a protest that activists said was to “nonviolently stop the supply chain for weapons to Israel.”
Police said the protest began around 6:30 a.m. with 50 protesters “dispersed to the entrance gates.” Police said they advised protesters that peaceful protests were entirely within the exercise of their constitutional rights, but they couldn’t block the roadway. They said several did, blocking access to the base, despite officers asking them to move.
Deputies from the Solano County Sheriff’s Office arrested six people at the south gate, while Fairfield police arrested 20 at the main gate and two more at the north gate, with assistance from Vacaville police.
Fairfield police said no force was used and neither protesters nor law enforcement personnel suffered injury. The protest concluded by 9:30 a.m.
The protesters released a statement saying their action was sponsored by more than 20 organizations against Israel’s military action in Gaza. They said there were approximately 100 demonstrators, some carrying “bloody” shroud-covered (mock) baby or child corpses because “This is what genocide looks like.”
Protesters said the goal was to “institute a ‘people’s arms embargo.’”