Chanting "Black Lives Matter" while chained to cement barrels, protesters shut down a major interstate highway in Boston during Thursday's morning rush hour.
Tens of thousands of commuters on Interstate 93 north and south of Boston faced protesters denouncing the recent killings of unarmed black men by U.S. police, Reuters reported.
While some members of a group blocked the roadway along I-93 South at Mystic Avenue in Medford, another separate group attached themselves to 1,200-pound barrels, halting traffic on I-93 North at East Milton Square, according to a 7:40 a.m. tweet by State Police.
"Our nonviolent direct action is meant to expose the reality that Boston is a city where white commuters and students use the city and leave, while black and brown communities are targeted by police, exploited, and displaced," said Korean-American organizer Katie Seitz in the statement.
By 8:08 a.m., the Massachusetts State Police had arrested about 17 activists for halting traffic at the Medford location and another six at the Milton location, Nicole Morrell, a State Police spokeswoman, said, adding that there had been no injuries.
Currently two center lanes have been opened, but a group of protesters are still reportedly blocking the far left and far right lanes of the northbound side of the highway, according to The Boston Globe.
Additionally, there have been major traffic delays since police are attempting to remove all the heavy barrels from the highway.
The demonstrators wanted to show solidarity with people who have protested the recent deaths of unarmed black men at the hands of white police in Ferguson, Mo., and New York City, protester Shannon Leary said.
"I personally can't understand why the act of killing a black child is not enough for people to stop," she said.
"Disruptions wake people up a little bit from their privilege and insulation," she said about why disrupting traffic could prove to be a powerful statement. "Things have to change."
However, the demonstrations, which included signs reading "United Against Racism" and "The System Is Racist Shut It Down," were criticized by police authorities.
"Blocking the Expressway during rush hour is NOT the right way to get your message out," a Massachusetts State Police spokesman posted on Twitter.
