HOLLYWOOD stars Susan Sarandon and Hannah Einbinder were among dozens of people arrested or detained during a dramatic protest against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside the United Nations in New York.
Sarandon, 79, was seen in AFP footage being handcuffed and led away by New York Police Department officers as protesters staged a sit-in ahead of Netanyahu’s address to the UN General Assembly on Thursday (24). Hacks star Einbinder, 31, was also taken into custody.
Footage showed her being escorted away with her hands restrained behind her back as she shouted: “Netanyahu out of New York.”
The protest was organised by Jewish Voice for Peace, which said more than 100 people were arrested.
Reuters, citing police, reported that at least 30 people were arrested. Among those arrested were Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier and New York City council member Chi Ossé.
Protest blocks New York street
Hundreds gathered near the UN carrying banners calling for an end to US military support for Israel and the war in Gaza.
Organisers said about 400 people took part in the mass sit-in. Protesters wore white T-shirts carrying slogans including “Fund People Not Bombs” and “Free Palestine”.
Police said officers responded to an “unscheduled demonstration” after protesters blocked an intersection.NYPD officers issued warnings through its Community Affairs Bureau and told demonstrators to leave.
Police said those who continued blocking the intersection were taken into custody. The protest unfolded as Netanyahu prepared to address the General Assembly, where dozens of delegates walked out after he began speaking.
Sarandon says she has paid a price
Sarandon has been a vocal critic of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and has previously spoken about the impact of her activism on her career.
At the Venice Film Festival earlier this month, she said she had lost film work because of her views, claiming that agencies had told people not to hire her. She said she had nevertheless found support among people who shared her position.
Einbinder, who is Jewish, has also repeatedly spoken in support of Palestinian rights. Jewish Voice for Peace said she described taking part in the protest as a moral responsibility and said she was prepared to risk arrest.
After her detention, Einbinder said attention should remain on the conflict rather than on the celebrities involved.
“Let us not mistake the spectacle for the story,” she wrote on Instagram, arguing that the focus should remain on the suffering in Gaza.
Inside the General Assembly, Netanyahu defended Israel's actions and criticised countries including Britain and France, which have recently moved to recognise Palestine. He also rejected accusations of colonialism directed at Israel.
The protests outside the UN added to a day of demonstrations and political confrontation surrounding Netanyahu’s appearance, with protesters demanding an end to US military support for Israel and an end to the war in Gaza.
