Multiple protesters blocked all the eastbound lanes on the Ventura (134) Freeway at the Golden State (5) interchange in Glendale Wednesday evening.
The California Highway Patrol issued a SigAlert at 9 p.m. for the eastbound Ventura Freeway at Central Avenue with all lanes expected to be blocked for three hours until all protesters can be cleared from the freeway.
The SigAlert was issued after numerous big rigs and people were witnessed blocking all eastbound lanes on the freeway, according to KCAL.
The protests began at Burbank City Hall then continued to the interchange of the Ventura and Golden State freeways and Hollywood (101) Freeway at Vineland Avenue.
Signs laid out on the freeway appeared to say “Adam Schiff Don’t Ignore Us” and “Open the Road to Life,” KCAL reported.
The CHP has closed the transition road from the eastbound Ventura Freeway to the northbound Golden State Freeway.
The protest was conducted by a group holding an event called “Rally for Life” to express their distress with Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, KCAL reported, citing information from the Burbank Police Department. The group claims Schiff has not done enough to stop the blockade of the Lachin Corridor, the mountain road that links Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, according to KCAL.
Azerbaijan began a blockade of the Lachin Corridor Dec. 12 following a series of clashes erupted along the Azerbaijan-Armenia border in September, resulting in at least 200 deaths. The blockade prevented humanitarian aid, basic supplies and outside support from reaching approximately 120,000 civilians there.
Schiff was among the authors of a congressional resolution condemning the blockade and encouraging the United States and the international community to petition the United Nations Security Council and other appropriate international bodies to investigate any possible war crimes committed by Azerbaijani forces.
The territory of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan. It is called Artsakh by Armenians.