SILVER SPRING, Md. — A group of climate protesters on the roadway blocked off all lanes of traffic on the inner loop of I-495 on Friday afternoon in Montgomery County, the Maryland State Highway Administration said.
All lanes of the I-495 inner loop were disrupted for nearly 90 minutes near exit 30, at U.S. 29/Colesville Road around 12:30 p.m. as the protesters sat down on the highway.
MDOT said the protesters shut down all four lanes of the inner loop until 1:50 p.m., when all lanes reopened. Motorists were advised to expect residual delays in the area.
According to the Maryland State Police Rockville Post, 14 people were arrested.
Pete Piringer, chief spokesperson for Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service, tweeted that a large police presence remained in the area just before 2 p.m. in Silver Spring.
RELATED VIDEO: Watch as an abortion rights protester deploys a green banner to call attention to the cause. Guido Reichstadter also streamed himself on TikTok calling for abortion-rights supporters to stand up and unite. Reichstadter stayed on top of the bridge for more than 24 hours and was arrested after he descended.