Celebrities join protesters in NYC ahead of Netanyahu’s UN speech
Protesters, including actor Elliot Page, actress Susan Sarandon, and Chelsea Manning, demonstrated outside the United Nations in New York City ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address too the General Assembly. The demonstration targeted Netanyahu and israel’s policies,with protesters blocking traffic and making arrests. Participants shouted slogans such as “Stop the genocide, free, free Palestine,” and Sarandon was afterward arrested, adding to her history of activism. sarandon, a vocal critic of Israel’s government, has faced professional repercussions for her political stance, claiming that agencies have advised against hiring her. Manning also took part in protests criticizing U.S. arms sales to Israel, with arrests occurring outside Senate offices earlier in the year. The protests coincided with intense international scrutiny of Israel’s conduct in Gaza and the West Bank, amid Netanyahu’s UN speech. Additionally, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had previously considered arresting Netanyahu for war crimes, though he acknowledged he lacked legal authority.
Actor Elliot Page, actress Susan Sarandon, and former U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning were among the demonstrators blocking a road outside the United Nations in New York on Thursday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared to address the General Assembly.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in Midtown Manhattan to demonstrate against Netanyahu and Israel’s policies as the prime minister arrived in New York. Police made arrests as demonstrators blocked traffic during the protest.
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“Stop the genocide, free, free Palestine,” protesters, including Page and Sarandon, shouted.
Photos of Sarandon being arrested amid the demonstration have also begun to emerge. The actress has been arrested at protests before, including in 2018 when she was taken into custody during demonstrations against the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
Sarandon, 80, has been a frequent participant in political and pro-Palestinian demonstrations. A vocal critic of Netanyahu and Israel’s policies, she has said her actions have cost her acting roles.
“I’ve still had movies taken away recently because there are agencies that are telling people not to hire me still,” she told reporters at the Venice Film Festival earlier this month. “But that’s the power structure. I think [among] people, certainly internationally, I feel welcome.“
She has spoken at protests against Netanyahu, including a 2024 rally in Washington, D.C., during his visit to address Congress.
Manning has likewise participated in recent protests over U.S. policy toward Israel. In April, she was among nearly 100 protesters arrested outside the New York offices of Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand over U.S. arms sales to Israel.
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The demonstrations came as Netanyahu delivered his U.N. address amid international criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza and the West Bank.
The visit also drew pushback from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who previously campaigned on a promise to arrest Netanyahu for alleged war crimes should he visit New York. Mamdani later noted he did not have the legal authority to carry that out, but encouraged other officials to.
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