More than 100 people, including actors Susan Sarandon and Hannah Einbinder along with local elected officials, were arrested by police in New York City on Thursday, September 24, 2026. The mass demonstrations outside the United Nations Headquarters coincided with an address by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
About 100 Are Arrested in Protests Against Netanyahu
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Demonstrations and Mass Arrests Outside United Nations Headquarters
A mass demonstration organized by Jewish Voice for Peace brought hundreds of protesters to Midtown Manhattan on Thursday afternoon. Activists staged a sit-in near the United Nations holding banners that read Stop Arming Israel
and End the Genocide
as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared to address the UN General Assembly.
The New York Police Department reported that officers responded to an unscheduled demonstration after participants blocked intersections, including First Avenue near the UN headquarters building. Members of the NYPD Community Affairs Bureau warned demonstrators to leave the roadway before taking enforcement action against those who refused to comply.
“Multiple individuals who didn’t comply were taken into custody.”
Jewish Voice for Peace stated that more than 100 people had been arrested after more than 400 people took part in the sit-in demanding an end to the war in Gaza and US military support for Israel. Police authorities confirmed that more than 100 people were arrested in total during the Midtown protests. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated earlier in the week that thousands of officers would patrol the surrounding area in anticipation of multiple demonstrations coinciding with the 81st General Assembly. Ann Wright, a member of the Code Pink Board of Directors, said, I think over 100 people are just getting arrested right now to show their disgust at Netanyahu being here and speaking before the UN.
Celebrities, Local Politicians, and Activists Taken into Custody
The sweep of arrests included prominent entertainment figures, local lawmakers, and political activists. Film star Susan Sarandon and Hacks actress Hannah Einbinder were among those detained by the NYPD near the UN. Agence France-Presse footage captured officers leading away a handcuffed Sarandon, known for her roles in Thelma & Louise and Dead Man Walking.
Elected officials were also among the crowd detained around 1 p.m. at First Avenue and East 39th Street. City Councilman Chi Osse and Councilwoman Alexa Aviles were taken into custody alongside congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier and whistleblower Chelsea Manning. Actor Elliot Page was also observed blocking traffic during the demonstrations.
Before being detained, Councilman Osse sharply criticized the visiting leader, calling Netanyahu a “demon” who should be held accountable for his crimes.
Councilwoman Aviles addressed reporters while being led away in handcuffs.
Wider Demonstrations and Incidents Across Manhattan
Beyond the Jewish Voice for Peace sit-in, a second afternoon protest organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement drew approximately 2,000 activists. The march moved from the steps of the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue to Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza outside Trump World Tower at First Avenue and 47th Street.
Participants chanted “Free Palestine” and Arrest war criminal Bibi Netanyahu
along the route. The march experienced tense moments when protesters skirmished with Trump supporters wearing MAGA hats and waving Trump banners, though police intervened to break up shoving matches without making immediate arrests.
At Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza, demonstrators unexpectedly set aflame a 10-foot-tall paper machete “BiBi” Netanyahu effigy dressed in prison stripes, with fire creeping up the effigy’s feet before firefighters extinguished the flames. Muhammad Ruiz, a 47-year-old Roosevelt Island resident, spoke about the demonstration, stating, This highlights the pain and suffering of the Palestinian people, especially the women and children of Gaza… It shows our nation’s government doesn’t care about what Americans think. The vast majority of Americans don’t approve of our tax dollars going to fight foreign wars, especially when they’re killing and starving innocent women and children.
Sarandon Links Political Activism to Industry Backlash
For Susan Sarandon, Thursday’s arrest follows ongoing professional fallout due to her outspoken political stances. Earlier in the month at the Venice Film Festival, the actress addressed the consequences of her criticism of military campaigns in Gaza.
“I’ve still had movies taken away recently because there are agencies that are telling people not to hire me still. But that’s the power structure.”
Despite reporting that professional opposition remains embedded within parts of the entertainment industry, Sarandon emphasized solidarity with fellow activists. I found my family, I found my people, and I’m okay,
Sarandon said.
Friction Inside and Outside the General Assembly Chamber
The street demonstrations matched vocal opposition inside the United Nations. During his address to the General Assembly, Prime Minister Netanyahu faced immediate diplomatic backlash when dozens of international delegates walked out of the chamber.
From the podium, Netanyahu dismissed the departing diplomats as “moral cowards” and criticized the foreign policies of several nations, including Britain and France, regarding their positions on Israel and Palestine.
