Zim Ship Blockade in Port of Long Beach-Fiction!

Zim Ship Blockade in Port of Long Beach-Fiction!

 
Summary of eRumor:
Warnings on the Internet allege that a group of Palestinian sympathizers have organized a blockade of an Israeli Zim ship entering the Port of Long Beach, CA.
The Truth:
 
A spokesperson for the Port of Long Beach told the TruthOrFiction.com team that on the morning of August 13, 2014, there was a peaceful protest by a group of less than 50 demonstrators outside the port entrance, but there was no attempt of a blockade, nor disruption of business.
The protest began about 7a.m., lasted about two hours without incident, and afterwards the demonstrator left peacefully.
This actually occurred near the location of one of our TruthOrFiction.com team members who is an avid sailor and very familiar with the facilities and waters around the Port of Long Beach. After the attack on America on September 11, 2001, security in our nation’s ports have been greatly enhanced. According to the Port of Long Beach website, nobody is permitted unescorted access within the port facilities without completing the necessary steps to obtain a Transportation Workers Identification Credential (TWIC).
Also, a blockade from the water would not be an easy operation because the waters in the port are restricted only to commercial traffic. Private or recreational vessels in restricted waters are immediately reported by surveillance teams to the harbor police and U.S. Coast Guard.
There was a blockade on Saturday, August 17, 2014, according to an August 18th. article by Britain’s Guardian a Zim cargo container was delayed when 2,000 and 3,000 pro-Palestinian activists gathered at the port entrance in Oakland, Ca. Once the ship was docked, the article said that the “protesters intended to form a picket line to prevent work crews from unloading the ship.”
Posted 08/15/14