Traffic Obstruction

Traffic obstruction is a common tactic used during public protests and demonstrations. The transport users affected by such disruptions are often unsympathetic to the cause. They have been effective in the past.

Most jurisdictions consider the obstruction of traffic an illegal activity and have developed rules to prosecute those who block, obstruct, impede, or otherwise interfere with the normal flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic upon a public street or highway. Some jurisdictions also penalize slow moving vehicle traffic. The unimpeded flow of traffic in the public road-space is often considered a common right.

Examples of intentional traffic obstructions aimed to articulate a protest agenda include the air traffic controller strike, highway revolts, Critical Mass bicycle rides corking intersections, obstruction of in Germany, road blockades by farmers or truckers in France and other countries, impact on Eurotunnel operations by the Migrant Crisis around Calais, pipeline protests (e.g. Dakota Access Pipeline), etc.

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