Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced large demonstrations in New York City on Thursday ahead of his address to the United Nations General Assembly, with actress Susan Sarandon, whistleblower Chelsea Manning and comedian Caleb Hearon among those detained by police. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside UN headquarters in Manhattan, blocking traffic and chanting slogans including "Let Gaza live" and "Stop arming Israel." A New York Police Department (NYPD) source told Newsweek roughly 100 people had been taken into custody during the protest. The demonstrations came as Netanyahu arrived in New York for a closely watched UN speech expected to focus on Israel's war against Hamas, tensions with Iran and growing international criticism of his government.
Sarandon, one of Hollywood's most prominent pro-Palestinian voices, was seen participating in the protest before being detained by the NYPD. Manning and Hearon were also taken into custody, according to protest organizers. Actress Hannah Einbinder, who was arrested during the demonstration, said she felt compelled to participate because of U.S. support for Israel.
"We will not be silent as our government fully funds a genocide in Palestine," Einbinder said ahead of the protest. Organizers accused Netanyahu of being responsible for what they described as atrocities in Gaza and argued that New York should not welcome him. Israel strongly rejects accusations that it is committing genocide or war crimes in Gaza.
The demonstration was one of several anti-Netanyahu events planned during the Israeli leader's brief visit to New York. On Wednesday, activists also rallied at John F. Kennedy International Airport to protest shipments they said were aiding the Israeli military.
The demonstrations also presented a political challenge for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whose criticism of Israel was a prominent feature of his successful mayoral campaign. While the mayor has repeatedly said Netanyahu is not welcome in the city, he recently acknowledged he lacks the legal authority to order the Israeli prime minister's arrest. Inside the General Assembly, Netanyahu directly targeted Mamdani, accusing the mayor of spreading false claims about Israel and attempting to silence him.
You can't silence the truth," Netanyahu said. The Israeli leader also criticized protesters outside the UN, describing them as "phony human rights protesters" and accusing them of ignoring abuses committed by Iran and Hamas. He also dismissed allegations that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, calling them "the biggest lie of the century." Ahead of Netanyahu's speech, Israel sought to push back against criticism by launching a public messaging campaign across Manhattan.
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