West Los Angeles morning commuters experienced significant delays Tuesday as anti-war demonstrators took the 405 Freeway to protest U.S. support for Israel's actions in Gaza. The roadway was shut down at National Boulevard for a brief period around 9 a.m., as reported by CBS News Los Angeles. Traffic was impacted from the Venice area towards the Sepulveda Pass, prompting authorities to advise motorists to exit at Olympic Boulevard and reroute to the 10 Freeway.

Organized in part by the group IfNotNow Los Angeles, the protesters' presence on the freeway quickly led to a buildup of vehicles, causing substantial congestion. "American Jews and allies have shut down the 405 freeway in West Los Angeles in protest of U.S. support for Israel's assault on Gaza," stated the group in a press release, noted by ABC7. The protest coincided with Tisha B'Av, a Jewish fast day mourning historical calamities. California Highway Patrol officers were on the scene and detained several demonstrators, though there were no immediate reports of injuries, as per KTLA's coverage of the incident.

The California Highway Patrol confirmed that eight arrests had been made out of the approximately 40 protesters present. Many protestors, however, left on foot when police arrived, according to NBC Los Angeles. The demonstration was part of a wider effort to call attention to what organizers describe as the assault on Gaza and urged elected officials to support a lasting ceasefire and an arms embargo against Israel in the days leading up to the Democratic National Convention.

The freeway was reopened just over an hour after the protest began. Traffic remained slow on the southbound side as lanes gradually cleared. IfNotNow LA is a movement of "anti-Apartheid American Jews working to end our community's support for the Israeli occupation of Palestine," according to the press release obtained by ABC7. The organization aims to influence policy by urging officials to reject American Israel Public Affairs Committee and legislate restrictions on arms being sent to the region in question.