A group of several hundred Black Lives Matter protesters attempted all Saturday afternoon and into the early evening to get onto several freeway on-ramps and disrupt traffic going to and from the Bay Bridge. The succeeded in creating some heavy gridlock downtown, as CBS 5 reports, and at one point were blocking cars from exiting the bridge on the Fremont Street off-ramp.

The Chronicle reports that the group peaked at around 500 people, marching through various parts of downtown and briefly blocking the entrances to the Westfield mall, but the protest began with about 100 young protesters, mostly African American and recent high school graduates, outside the Hall of Justice on Bryant Street.

Police were a step ahead of the group most of the day, as KRON 4 tells us, and their intention to get onto the I-80 freeway had been broadcast on social media. Police managed to keep the protesters from getting onto the freeway at the Fifth and Bryant on-ramp, and also at the Essex Street on-ramp further downtown, where things got more heated as the group of marchers became a bit smaller.

One protester who grew up in the Mission District told the Chron that their purpose was both to get people to hear their message and to "make them feel discomfort."

The Fremont Street ramp reopened around 6:30 p.m., and the protest began winding down shortly thereafter.

Previously: Peaceful March Against Police Killings Culminates In Rally At City Hall