NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK — Actors Susan Sarandon and Hacks star Hannah Einbinder were among several people detained by police in New York on Thursday, September 24, during a Jewish Voice for Peace protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The demonstration took place outside the United Nations General Assembly as Netanyahu prepared to deliver his address. Dozens of diplomatic envoys walked out during his speech, in which he criticized Britain and France over their positions on Palestine.
NYPD Detains Sarandon and Einbinder
Video footage from Agence France-Presse showed NYPD officers handcuffing Sarandon as they moved to clear the demonstration. The New York Post reported that Einbinder was also escorted away by police. Demonstrators carried banners reading “Stop Arming Israel” and “End the Genocide.”
According to an NYPD spokesperson, officers responded to an unscheduled demonstration that was blocking an intersection. Members of the NYPD Community Affairs Bureau advised participants to disperse, but several remained.
The video below shows Susan Sarandon, Hannah Einbinder, and other protesters being detained during the demonstration outside the UN.
“They continued to block the intersection. Multiple individuals who didn’t comply were taken into custody,” the spokesperson said. Police did not immediately provide the total number of arrests. Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier and New York City Council member Chi Ossé were also among those detained.
Walkout and Protests During Netanyahu’s UN Address
The arrests occurred outside as attention centered on Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech inside the UN General Assembly. As the Israeli Prime Minister took the stage, dozens of international envoys walked out in protest.
During his address, Netanyahu criticized both enemies and traditional allies, taking aim at nations—including Britain and France—that recently moved toward recognizing a Palestinian state.
“They accuse Israel, tiny Israel, of colonialism… And who’s accusing us? Among them are people in Britain and in France. For God’s sakes, they invented the term,” Netanyahu told the assembly.
Susan Sarandon on Career Backlash
Sarandon’s detention follows years of outspoken activism regarding Gaza. The Oscar-winning actor (Thelma & Louise, Dead Man Walking) previously noted at the Venice Film Festival that her political views have impacted her acting career.
“I’ve still had movies taken away recently because there are agencies telling people not to hire me,” Sarandon said. “I think there has been a change in understanding among the general public, but there are still very strongly held positions within my industry… But I found my family, I found my people, and I’m OK.”
Hannah Einbinder on the Cost of Silence
Einbinder has similarly addressed the professional risks of speaking out, citing previous backlash faced by figures like Sarandon and Melissa Barrera. Speaking at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, the Hacks star emphasized her priorities:
“I think what they know is what I know, which is that the cost of not speaking is higher,” Einbinder said. “I am under no impression that my small career could ever measure up in comparison to even one human life. It’s an obligation and I will always do it.”
