On Friday, March 22, 2024, 11 people were arrested for blocking Air Base Parkway during a protest outside of Travis Air Force Base. A group of about 20 people had gathered near the intersection of Air Base Parkway and Parker Road at 6am. The group initially stayed on the shoulder and center median while bringing attention to their cause. Just after 7am, members of the group entered the crosswalk across Air Base Parkway and remained there, blocking traffic attempting to enter the main gate of the base. Additional members of the group blocked the hospital gate entrance to the base. The group had been warned about blocking traffic in violation of California Vehicle Code section 21950(b), which states no person shall unnecessarily delay traffic while in a crosswalk.
The group had stopped traffic for approximately 5 minutes when a team of officers approached them and gave lawful orders to get out of the roadway, but they remained in the intersection. The officers then arrested the members of the group that had been blocking the roadway. Traffic was then opened up for normal business at the base.
Just prior to this protest at the Main Gate, Travis Air Force Base Security Forces discovered the road to the South Gate had been blocked with a large amount of junk furniture and nail clusters fashioned to flatten tires of cars driving on the roadway. There was an anti-war banner affixed to the junk blocking the road. Suisun City Police shut down Petersen Road for approximately one hour while the debris and nails were cleaned up.
Travis Air Force Base had been alerted prior to these protests that there may be an attempt to shut down the base on this date and requested assistance from the Fairfield Police Department. Fairfield PD supports the rights of all people to protest, however, it must be done without breaking the law.
The 11 people arrested and booked into Solano County Jail for 2800VC, failure to obey an officer and 21950(b)VC, delaying traffic, are identified as the following:
Samuel Cree, 27; Blaine Jackson, 23; Eaen Elliott, 19; Yulissa Sanchez 22; Rayna Velasquez, 30; Nora Dondero 26; Giselle Cisneros 23; Jarvey Resa, 26; Vanessa Thil 32, and Dafne Ramirez, 28.
