SACRAMENTO, Calif. _ The Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks tipped off Thursday night in a nearly empty Golden 1 Center as protesters surrounded the downtown arena, blocking admission for many ticket holders.
Hundreds of protesters demonstrating against this week's fatal police shooting of Stephon Clark formed a human chain across the downtown Sacramento arena's doors, which security personnel kept locked before game time.
Some ticket holders who were locked of the arena expressed sympathy with the protesters' cause but said they were upset about missing the game.
"Their rights don't supersede everyone else's," Doug Hillblon, from the Elk Grove area, said as he waited with his wife and a family friend outside the arena. He said he thought the protesters had gone too far by blocking admission to Kings' fans.
Earlier Thursday the protesters had shut down Interstate 5 at the height of the afternoon commute before shutting off entrances to the Kings game, forcing thousands of fans to wait outside.
Around 6:15 p.m., the protest moved from the freeway to the main spectator entrance of Golden 1 Center.
The Kings locked spectator entrances to the stadium and abandoned security equipment outside. Security officials moved inside.
Fans lined up waiting to get into the game, while protesters chanted "Shut it down!" and held Black Lives Matter banners.
The Kings delayed the start of the game but didn't cancel it. Very few fans were in the seats as of game time. Those who'd been admitted were invited to sit closer to the court and offered free drinks and snacks.
Outside, about 20 police officers in riot gear moved onto K Street outside the arena. Some Kings fans began leaving the area.
The situation, while noisy, remained under control as of 7:30 p.m. Police haven't taken overt steps to stop the protest, and officers with riot gear stood at a distance, observing the situation.
The protest earlier snarled traffic around central city freeways, with cars backed up nearly a mile south toward Sutterville Road and on the westbound W/X freeway.
Around 5:30 p.m., southbound lanes reopened; it took another 30-plus minutes for protesters to leave northbound lanes. Protesters then moved toward the Kings' arena.
The demonstration began at Cesar Chavez Plaza across from City Hall around 3 p.m., went into the building chanting "Face the people!" and moved back outside onto I Street before making their way to the freeway.
Protesters stood in front of a semi and other cars chanting "Shut it down!" and "Don't shoot, it's a cellphone!" Clark was shot while holding a cellphone.
They also started yelling "We don't want you" as a CHP helicopter flew overhead.
