Update: After receiving 2,000 replies for referring to pro-Hamas agitators as those "exercising first amendment rights in roadway," the Reagan Airport has since restricted replies.
Original: Pro-Hamas agitators have made it a habit to pop up protesting in the worst places. That includes shutting down roads and blocking traffic, and for those trying to get to some of the nation's busiest airports. On Saturday, what OutKick described as a "small caravan of vehicles supporting Gaza amid Israel’s war with Hamas terrorists decided to purposely slow down and block traffic near the airport outside of Washington D.C. Saturday. Those cars had Palestinian flags prominently displayed. As OutKick also highlighted, Reagan Airport had a particularly absurd post shared over X in response.
At 2:53pm on Saturday, the Reagan Airport X account issued a "TRAFFIC ALERT" telling travelers to "Expect delays around the airport due to a group in vehicles exercising first amendment rights in roadway." The suggested remedy was to "Use caution and expect slow moving vehicles," with also a recommendation to use the metro system to get to the airport.
🔺TRAFFIC ALERT: Expect delays around the airport due to a group in vehicles exercising first amendment rights in roadway. Use caution and expect slow moving vehicles. Recommend @Wmata to access airport.
— Reagan Airport (@Reagan_Airport) January 20, 2024
The post has since been hit with a reminder from Community Notes that "There is no first amendment right to block traffic," citing a post from the ACLU Illinois.
As of early Sunday afternoon, the post has earned 2,000 replies and close to 600 quoted reposts taking issue with such a claim about "first amendment rights." Our sister site of Twitchy has highlighted some of the best examples calling out both the protesters as well as the airport's social media account.
The fact that whoever wrote this specifically wrote “exercising first amendment rights” when no such right to to block public roads exists shows you this is all intentional.
— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) January 20, 2024
Just like the southern invasion… https://t.co/vV9TMil4Nc
People who sympathize with criminals disrupting key infrastructure should not be employed by Reagan Airport. Who runs this account?
— Gregg Re (@gregg_re) January 20, 2024
"vehicles exercising first amendment rights in roadway."
— End the Simpsons (@EndTheSimpsons) January 20, 2024
This is the full time job of the person tweeting this
Are those vehicles all just parked and reading the Bill of Rights? What activity are you referring to? https://t.co/vreYfzxiJ6
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) January 20, 2024
Unbelievable. Pro-Hamas punks stopping taxpayers from getting to the airport are just … exercising their First Amendment rights.
— Gerry Callahan (@GerryCallahan) January 20, 2024
The person who wrote this tweet should fired today. https://t.co/UBiPpHMqfA
It wasn't clear in the OutKick report as to if arrests were made. When it comes to other incidents of agitators blocking traffic at airports, there's been mixed results. Pro-Hamas protesters were arrested in Los Angeles, New York, and Dallas, but not in Portland, Maine. American Airlines employees were also arrested at Reagan in November 2019 for blocking traffic at the terminal there.
Not only do you not have such a constitutional right to block traffic, but such a stunt does nothing to actually help the plight of Palestinians. Inconveniencing those trying to express their right to freedom of movement makes people less likely to support your cause. Israel didn't just suffer a terrorist attack on October 7 when Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 Israelis, most of them civilians, not even sparing babies or Holocaust survivors. They also tortured, raped, and kidnapped people. And then, many around the world had the audacity to blame Israel and side with Hamas terrorists. That includes a rise in antisemitism and pro-Hamas demonstrations and disruptions, including in the United States.
It's also worth reminding that calling for a ceasefire is a tactic sympathizing with Hamas, given that a ceasefire was in place before the October 7 attack, which Hamas broke. There were temporary ceasefires in place more recently last November to allow for hostage negotiations and prisoner exchanges, which Hamas also broke.
If such news weren't bad enough for the major airport, Reagan has also been in the news for cancelled and delayed flights due to winter weather, as well as potential exposure to Measles.
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