Armenian Supporters Shut down Both Sides of 101 Freeway

10.03.2020 | 10:30 pm | HOLLYWOOD (CNS) – Protesters in Hollywood supporting Armenia in its conflict with Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region blocked the Hollywood (101) Freeway in both directions Saturday at Bronson Avenue.

The protest began before 9 p.m. on surface streets a few blocks to the west, as at least 100 cheering demonstrators, including some waving the Armenian flag, blocked lanes of Hollywood Boulevard at Van Ness Avenue and Vine Street, video posted to the Citizen social news app showed.

The California Highway Patrol was asked to respond to the southbound Hollywood Freeway at 9:30 p.m., according to Officer Don Conley of the agency’s Traffic Management Center.

Video from CBS2 showed a small group of demonstrators forced the closure of both lanes of the 101 by 10:15 p.m.

But as of 10:20 p.m. a SIG alert had not been issued, the CHP said.

The issue protesters are highlighting has to do with fighting in a breakaway region of Azerbaijan that observers fear could escalate as a proxy war between Russia and Turkey — and even Iran.

Although tensions date back to the Soviet era, things heated up on Sept. 27, with Armenia establishing martial  and Azerbaijan declaring war. The clashes have led to the highest casualty rate since 2016.

The Hollywood freeway remained closed as of 10:55 p.m., FOX11 helicopter video indicated.

CNS-10-03-2020 22:56

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