The radical Party for Socialism and Liberation in Anchorage is upset about a bill that has been offered by the governor, which makes it illegal to block roadways in protest without a permit. And they’re going to do something sure to get the media’s attention: They’re going to block roadways.
Across the country, radicals have taken over roadways and runways, sitting in the middle of the road, gluing their skin to the asphalt, holding banners across runways, and generally creating a snarl in traffic and transportation. They’ve shut down I-5 in Seattle and blocked traffic in every major city. Sometimes it’s about Israel and sometime it’s about the environment, but it’s not being done with a permit to disrupt public transportation.
It happened this month, when PSL protestors took over Fireweed Lane in Anchorage to express their displeasure with Israel’s defense against Hamas’ attack on Israeli citizens.
The PSL, which is a communist party, is now planning to take over the street in front of the Atwood Building on March 1, in what they call an “unpermitted protest against Dunleavy.” The Atwood building is the state office building in anchorage on 7th Avenue.
House Bill 386 is intended to address the possibility of a road or runway being blocked by protesters, while a fire is burning or a child is dying, and life-saving personnel can’t get to the scene.
The communist group says this bill infringes on their First Amendment rights.
The protest, planned for 6 pm, is long after most state workers have left the area, and before people head downtown for the bar scene. The sun will be setting at about 6:30 p.m. on March 1 and the temperature outside is expected to be between 1-10 degrees Fahrenheit.
This is the same group that hosted a meeting during which Anchorage Assemblyman Felix Rivera was a guest speaker last year.
