Multiple protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took place in New York as he addressed the United Nations General Assembly, with more than 100 people arrested as demonstrators demanded accountability over Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and an end to United States military support. The sit-in blocked part of First Avenue ahead of Netanyahu’s UNGA address. The protest was led by JVP and NYC-Democratic Socialists of America.
Protesters sought to draw attention to New York’s own role in US support for Israel. A day earlier, NYC-DSA held a news conference at John F Kennedy international airport calling for an immediate halt to military and explosive cargo shipments through the airport and for greater transparency over previous shipments of military aid to Israel. Police ordered demonstrators on Thursday to clear the road before making arrests.
The New York Police Department told Al Jazeera that 103 people were arrested for disorderly conduct, and all had been released. Organisers said nine of those people were elected officials and candidates for office. Darializa Avila Chevalier, the Democratic nominee for New York’s 13th congressional district, was among those detained.
JVP organiser Jess Frankel Carrel told Al Jazeera that, as a Jewish New Yorker, she wanted US funding directed towards communities at home rather than Israel’s war on Gaza. We want them to fund schools here,” Carrel said. We will stay fighting until the genocide is over.” Hours later, thousands of protesters marched towards UN headquarters in a separate demonstration against Netanyahu’s visit, organised by the Palestinian Youth Movement and The People’s Forum.
During his speech on Thursday afternoon, Netanyahu rejected accusations that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, calling the allegation the “greatest lie of the century” and saying Israel had taken steps to protect Palestinian civilians. He also attacked New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, calling him “anti-Semitic” and accusing him of spreading lies about Israel. Netanyahu claimed that since Mamdani’s election, “many Jews no longer feel safe in New York”.
Mamdani responded by accusing Netanyahu of repeating “baseless lies meant to sanitise his genocide of Palestinians”, adding that the prime minister remained the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant. The mayor had pledged during his campaign to have Netanyahu arrested if he came to New York. Mamdani has since acknowledged that he does not have the authority to carry out such an arrest.
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