Early Friday, Virginia State Police and Virginia Department of Transportation workers cleared out pro-Palestinian protesters who had been camping out for months outside Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s home.
Removing the encampment led Chain Bridge Road to be closed for hours.
Only two demonstrators were there at the time of the removal. Matthew Waterman, one of the protesters, told News4 he was rousted out of the tent where he had been sleeping.
“I hear outside of the tent Virginia State troopers announcing themselves and telling us to leave. So I rushed to get my things together, and I came out of my tent taking video. Cop cars as far as I can see,” he said.
Friday marked six months since the encampment first started. In May, there was an electric sign alerting motorists of people being on the sides of the street.
Early this week, VDOT declared the encampment illegal. “Due to these unsafe conditions, the road was returned to its original state to ensure the safety of the traveling public on Virginia’s roadways," they said in a statement to News4.
Waterman said he believes the decision to clear the protesters was political.
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"On the day of the forced dismantle and raid, the peace vigil (known as “Kibbutz Blinken”) had been present at its location for 183 days, with no security or safety risk to participants or motorists," the demonstrators said in a statement.
Officials threatened to arrest Waterman as they ordered him to get in his car and leave.
By 11:30 a.m. the road had reopened. Virginia State troopers are policing the site. A spokeswoman said they would remain there as needed to prevent anyone from trespassing.
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