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Protesters demanding ceasefire in Israel-Hamas war gather at Port of Oakland

The protests appeared centered on a federal vessel at the port

Pro-Palestinian protesters chant after they delayed for nine hours the departure of Cape Orlando ship from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest’s organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies and they demand a stop to  military aid to Israel and a ceasefire in Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Pro-Palestinian protesters chant after they delayed for nine hours the departure of Cape Orlando ship from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest’s organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies and they demand a stop to military aid to Israel and a ceasefire in Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
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OAKLAND — Pounding drums and chanting “stop the occupation,” scores of protesters gathered Friday at the Port of Oakland to demand a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

The protest began nearly an hour before sunrise Friday and continued into the afternoon around the Cape Orlando vessel, a ship with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration, authorities said. It had been docked at Berth 20, and was later seen leaving the port mid-afternoon.

The protest’s organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies, though that claim could not be immediately verified.

A Bay Area News Group photographer saw at least three people being detained after scaling a ladder leading up the side of the ship. No arrests were immediately announced by the U.S. Coast Guard, which said the incident remains under investigation.

The protest comes nearly a month after an attack by Hamas on people living across southern Israel on Oct. 7 left more than 1,400 Israelis dead. Hundreds of other people were taken hostage. Israel has since bombarded Gaza with missiles and, more recently, embarked on a grinding invasion of Gaza, leading to thousands of Palestinian deaths  in a conflict that has raised concerns of a burgeoning humanitarian crisis.

Pro-Palestinian protesters chant after they delayed for nine hours the departure of Cape Orlando ship from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest's organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Pro-Palestinian protesters chant after they delayed for nine hours the departure of Cape Orlando ship from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest’s organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 

A statement from the Department of Defense said that the agency was aware of the incident and working “closely with interagency partners, to include the Department of Transportation, the U.S. Coast Guard and local law enforcement to ensure the security and safety of military assets and personnel operating at commercial facilities.” It added that the vessel was under operational control of the Maritime Administration, and that it would not comment on the cargo of such vessels.

Staff photographer Ray Chavez contributed to this report.

Pro-Palestinian protesters locked themselves to the ladder leading up to the Cape Orlando ship to delay the departure from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest's organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Pro-Palestinian protesters locked themselves to the ladder leading up to the Cape Orlando ship to delay the departure from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest’s organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 
Pro-Palestinian protesters locked themselves to the ladder leading up to the Cape Orlando ship to delay the departure from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest's organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Pro-Palestinian protesters locked themselves to the ladder leading up to the Cape Orlando ship to delay the departure from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest’s organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 
Two antiwar protesters are detained by US Coast Guard officers after they locked themselves to the ladder leading up to the Cape Orlando ship to delay the departure for about non hours from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest's organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Two antiwar protesters are detained by US Coast Guard officers after they locked themselves to the ladder leading up to the Cape Orlando ship to delay the departure for about non hours from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest’s organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 
An antiwar protester locks herself to the ladder leading up to the Cape Orlando ship to delay the departure from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The woman and two other protesters were detained by US Coast Guard officers. The protest's organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
A Pro-Palestinian protester locks herself to the ladder leading up to the Cape Orlando ship to delay the departure from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The woman and two other protesters were detained by US Coast Guard officers. The protest’s organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 
Pro-Palestine protesters blocked the entrance at Bert 20 to delay the departure of Cape Orlando ship from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest's organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Pro-Palestine protesters blocked the entrance at Bert 20 to delay the departure of Cape Orlando ship from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest’s organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 
An antiwar protester locks herself to the ladder leading up to the Cape Orlando ship to delay the departure from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The woman and two other protesters were detained by US Coast Guard officers. The protest's organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
A Pro-Palestinian protester locks herself to the ladder leading up to the Cape Orlando ship to delay the departure from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The woman and two other protesters were detained by US Coast Guard officers. The protest’s organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 
Antiwar protesters chant after they delayed for nine hours the departure of Cape Orlando ship from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest's organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Pro-Palestinian protesters chant after they delayed for nine hours the departure of Cape Orlando ship from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest’s organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 
The Cape Orlando ship departs from the Port of Oakland after its departure was delayed by pro-Palestinian protesters in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest's organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
The Cape Orlando ship departs from the Port of Oakland after its departure was delayed by pro-Palestinian protesters in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest’s organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 
Antiwar protesters chant after they blocked the entrance at Bert 20 to delay the departure of Cape Orlando ship from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest's organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Pro-Palestinian protesters chant after they blocked the entrance at Bert 20 to delay the departure of Cape Orlando ship from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest’s organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 
Pro-Palestine protesters blocked the entrance at Bert 20 to delay the departure of Cape Orlando ship from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest's organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Pro-Palestinian protesters blocked the entrance at Bert 20 to delay the departure of Cape Orlando ship from the Port of Oakland in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest’s organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 
Pro-Palestinian protesters lock themselves to the ladder leading up to the Cape Orlando ship to delay the departure from the Port of Oakland as fellow protesters chant in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest's organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Pro-Palestinian protesters locked themselves to the ladder leading up to the Cape Orlando ship to delay the departure from the Port of Oakland as fellow protesters chant in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The protest’s organizers said they believed the ship was carrying military supplies as they demand to stop military aid to Israel and ceasefire against Gaza. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)