UNGA81: Over 100 Arrested As Pro-Palestine Protesters Block Streets While Netanyahu Addresses UN In New York
Hundreds of protesters blocked traffic outside the United Nations headquarters in New York on Thursday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared to address the UN General Assembly, with over 100 people arrested including Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon.
The protest, one of several held this week against the Israeli leader, drew Jewish, Palestinian, Iranian and Lebanese New Yorkers, as well as elected officials, election candidates and celebrities, ahead of Netanyahu’s speech at UNGA81.
According to The Guardian UK, protesters wore shirts reading “Fund people not bombs” and chanted slogans like “Let Gaza live” and “the whole world is watching.” Official vehicles heading to the UN were diverted as protesters sat in the middle of the street for more than an hour, unfurling banners that called to “end the genocide” and flying a kite with the inscription “Free Palestine.”
The demonstration was coordinated by Jewish Voice for Peace Action. Its political director, Beth Miller, said New Yorkers, including Jewish New Yorkers, do not want war criminals in their city.
“What we made clear today is that New Yorkers, including Jewish New Yorkers, do not want war criminals and the architects of genocide coming to our city. This is something that we have been saying for years, especially over the last three years during which Israel has killed over 75,000 Palestinians in this genocide – and to be clear that is a severe undercount,” Miller said.
Actor Hannah Einbinder, who was also arrested, said she could not remain silent while her government funds genocide in Palestine.
“We will not be silent as our government fully funds a genocide in Palestine. This moment calls on each and every one of us to speak out and demand the US stop funding genocide,” Einbinder said.
Other celebrities detained by the New York Police Department, NYPD, include whistleblower Chelsea Manning and comedian Caleb Hearon.
Also arrested was Aber Kawas, who in November is slated to become the first Palestinian-American elected official in New York, alongside pro-Palestinian candidates Darializa Avila Chevalier and Brad Lander of New York, Chris Rabb of Pennsylvania, Adam Hamawy of New Jersey and Melat Kiros of Colorado.
“I think it is really important to send a message that New Yorkers do not stand for this. It is really important that we show that we are willing to fight back against our tax dollars being used to commit war crimes,” Chevalier said.
The NYPD is yet to confirm the number of arrests, but organizers estimate it to be over 100.
On Wednesday, members of the Democratic Socialists of America’s New York City chapter had also rallied at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in protest of weapons and explosive materials destined for the Israeli military being flown out of the airport on commercial aircraft.
The protests present a challenge to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who had pledged to arrest Netanyahu and has repeatedly called him a “war criminal” who is “not welcome in New York City,” but admitted he does not have the legal authority to do so.
Mamdani had earlier said he had no plans to attend the protests, but insisted New Yorkers have the right to protest.
“To New Yorkers, I have never encouraged them to protest, what I have always told them is that they have the right to do so in this city. We respect that right and this is a city that is proud of the constitution and proud of the first amendment,” the Mayor said.
