NEW YORK (Diya TV) — Police arrested actors Susan Sarandon and Hannah Einbinder during a protest near United Nations headquarters Thursday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared to address the General Assembly.
New York City Council member Chi Ossé and Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier were also among those arrested. Reuters reported that police took at least 30 people into custody. The NYPD did not immediately provide a final arrest count.
Jewish Voice for Peace organized the demonstration to call for an end to U.S. arms supplies to Israel and oppose its military campaign in Gaza. About 200 people gathered near the U.N., according to Reuters. Some held a sit-in in the street while others stood on the sidewalks.
An NYPD spokesperson said officers responded after demonstrators blocked an intersection. Officers warned them to leave, but some remained seated in the roadway. Police then detained those who did not comply, the spokesperson said. Reuters footage showed officers escorting protesters to police buses with their hands restrained.
The demonstration took place ahead of Netanyahu’s speech. Inside the General Assembly hall, dozens of delegates walked out as he began speaking. Netanyahu defended Israel’s military actions and rejected criticism from foreign leaders over the war in Gaza.
Sarandon has joined previous protests over the war and has spoken publicly about her support for Palestinians. Einbinder, who stars in the television series Hacks, has also spoken out on the issue. Thursday’s arrests brought both actors into a demonstration that centered on U.S. policy toward Israel during Netanyahu’s visit to New York.
