Susan Sarandon and other celebrities ARRESTED at UN protest ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address
Susan Sarandon was one of the stars detained at a protest outside of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s United Nations address.
The 79-year-old actress was among dozens who were cuffed as NYPD cops worked to clear First Avenue ahead of the speech to the UN General Assembly.
A smiling Sarandon, who was memorably canceled over her Pro-Palestine comments in 2023, looked up to the sky serenely as she was cuffed by NYPD officers, three years after she found herself behind bars after attending a protest at the New York state Capitol in Albany.
Hacks actress Hannah Einbinder – who has also famously been a vocal supporter of Palestine – was also among those reportedly taken into custody.
Both Sarandon and Einbinder, 31, could be seen wearing white T-Shirts which read: ‘fund people not bombs.’
Comedian and rising actor Caleb Hearon, 31, was also seen with police officers in addition to numerous New York City council members.
Susan Sarandon was one of the stars detained at a protest outside of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s United Nations address
Hacks actress Hannah Einbinder – who has also famously been a vocal supporter of Palestine – was also among those reportedly taken into custody
Netanyahu is seen addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at UN headquarters in New York on Thursday
Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon, 60, was also in attendance at the protest, but Daily Mail understands that she was not among those who were arrested.
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The protest began at around noon as socialist groups joined Jewish Voice For Peace as they blocked traffic near the UN with the aim of calling out Netanyahu’s war in Gaza and the ongoing conflict in Iran.
Ahead of Netanyahu’s visit, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged his arrest, saying the US should honor a warrant for Netanyahu issued by the International Criminal Court.
He is wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Gaza, though the US is not a member of the court and New York City lacks the authority to arrest him.
Those in the crowd were chanting ‘free Palestine’ in addition to ‘stop arming Israel’ and ‘let Iran live.’
It was less than an hour into the protest when arrests began as officers began placing zip-ties around the wrists of protesters as they chanted: ‘Netanyahu, you can’t hide! We charge you with genocide!’
The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Sarandon and Einbinder for comment and has yet to hear back.
Meanwhile, droves of delegates walked out of the UN General Assembly during Netanyahu’s speech in a scene that was very dramatic.
A smiling Sarandon, who was memorably canceled over her Pro-Palestine comments, looked up to the sky serenely as she was cuffed by NYPD officers, three years after she found herself behind bars after attending a protest at the New York state Capitol in Albany
Both Sarandon and Einbinder, 31, could be seen wearing white T-Shirts which read: ‘fund people not bombs’
Comedian and rising actor Caleb Hearon was also seen with police officers in addition to numerous New York City council members
Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon (Above at The Emmys last week), 60, was also at the protest, but Daily Mail understands she was not among those who were arrested
The 76-year-old Israeli Prime Minister defended his country’s military operations in Gaza as his speech was also disrupted by pro-Palestine chants.
Delegates jeered and booed, while Netanyahu’s own team stood and applauded, and the speaker of the session shouted for order.
‘If there are any other moral cowards who haven’t left this hall, please do so now,’ Netanyahu said.
Allegations of Israeli genocide in Gaza are not only false but ‘the biggest lie of the century,’ Netanyahu told world leaders in a defiant speech that asserted his nation’s right to wage war against Iran.
Netanyahu also said: ‘Now, you want to hear the ultimate irony? Israel is also defending many of the countries whose delegates just left this hall.
‘Many of the countries whose delegates just left this hall. In fact, I want you to know that many of their leaders even thank us privately for taking out Iran’s nukes. It’s hard to imagine more mind-blowing hypocrisy.
‘Where were you when the Iranian tyrants butchered and maimed tens of thousands of unarmed Iranian civilians?’
Netanyahu also labeled those who walked out as ‘phony human rights protesters.’
The protest began at around noon as socialist groups joined Jewish Voice For Peace as they blocked traffic near the UN with the aim of calling out Netanyahu’s war in Gaza and the ongoing conflict in Iran
Meanwhile, earlier this month Sarandon revealed that her political beliefs continue to affect her professional life.
The veteran actress – who has previously said she’s been blacklisted over pro-Palestinian comments – was asked at the Venice Film Festival if the ‘tides [are] changing’ in show business.
She answered in part, ‘In terms of the power structure. I’ve still had movies taken away recently, because there are agencies that are telling people not to hire me still. But that’s the power structure,’ per People.
On the other hand, she said, ‘I think that the narrative has completely changed. There’s a lot of things that people are aware of now.’
Sarandon said in Italy on Sunday, ‘Certainly internationally, I feel welcome. So it depends. If it’s a major studio, I think there is, not just with me, but with other people… that have been told that that is impossible.’
Referencing the movie, she continued, ‘In terms of doing this film, I thank Andrea for that, because he didn’t listen to the warnings.
‘So I think, yes, there has been a change in terms of understanding of the situation, and I think the general public, but there are still very strongly held positions within my industry held by Zionists and [those] who have not relaxed their feelings towards me. But I found my family, I found my people, and I’m okay.’
Earlier this year, Sarandon spoke out about her alleged blacklisting from the industry over pro-Palestinian remarks she made amid Israel’s ongoing attacks on Gaza.
Meanwhile, droves of delegates walked out of the UN General Assembly during Netanyahu’s speech in a scene that was very dramatic
Netanyahu also labeled those who walked out as ‘moral cowards’ before calling them ‘phony human rights protesters’
During a press conference in Barcelona, Spain in March, she recalled being dropped by her talent agency after she called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
‘I was fired by my agency specifically for marching and speaking out about Gaza – for asking for a ceasefire – and it became impossible for me to even be on television,’ she said ahead of the 40th Goya Awards.
‘I don’t know lately if it’s changed, [but] I couldn’t do any major film, anything connected with Hollywood,’ she shared.
Sarandon said that even foreign filmmakers were being urged not to work with her.
‘This Italian director that just hired me, he was told not to hire me,’ she noted. ‘So that’s still recently. He didn’t listen, but they had that conversation.’
Israel has grown increasingly isolated throughout the war in Gaza. The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel, killing around 1,200 people and kidnapping 251.
At least 73,922 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s subsequent offensive, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, part of the Hamas-run government whose numbers are generally considered reliable by the international community.
A ceasefire agreed to by Israel and Hamas last October halted the heaviest of the fighting and led to the release of the remaining hostages yet further steps have since stalled.
Israel maintains control of most of Gaza and continues to carry out airstrikes on Palestinians near military-held zones.
Hamas has not disarmed or relinquished power and there has been no progress toward reconstruction in the mostly destroyed territory.