The 5 Freeway, a major artery in Southern California, closed for several hours on Saturday for a live-fire event at Camp Pendleton in northern San Diego County that was being attended by Vice President JD Vance, this despite the U.S. Marine Corps' previous insistence that the public highway would remain open.

According to California Highway Patrol , the 5 was closed between Harbor Drive and Basilone Road beginning at 11 a.m. Pacific Time. The closure lasted until about 3 p.m.

About 80,000 drivers daily travel the route, which connects San Diego and Orange counties. Despite initial plans to shut down the entire freeway during that time, the southbound lanes were reopened by noon.

Vance, a Marine Corps veteran, spoke following the display, but did not comment on the freeway's closur

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