Hannah Einbinder Speaks Out After UN Arrest, Calls For US To Bring An End To Israel Attacks

Following her arrest during a sit-in outside the United Nations headquarters in New York City, Hacks star Hannah Einbinder urged the U.S. government to halt military support for Israel, stating that the Gaza conflict and regional violence must remain the primary focus over the spectacle of celebrity detentions.

When a group of high-profile actors, activists, and lawmakers staged a sit-in outside the United Nations headquarters in New York City, the resulting police response drew approximately 100 protesters into custody ahead of an address by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Among those detained was actor Hannah Einbinder, alongside Oscar winner Susan Sarandon, whistleblower Chelsea Manning, and congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier.

The demonstration, organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, saw activists block traffic near First Avenue for about an hour while chanting Free, free Palestine! and Netanyahu, you can’t hide! We charge you with genocide! According to a New York City Police Department spokesperson, officers from the Community Affairs Bureau issued warnings to disperse before taking non-compliant participants into custody for blocking the intersection.

Instagram Statement and Direct Criticism of U.S. Leadership

Hours after her release, Einbinder addressed the demonstration in a statement published to her Instagram Story, emphasizing that media attention should remain anchored on the humanitarian crisis overseas rather than the celebrity arrests. She pointed directly to what she termed the devastating genocidal war Israel is waging against the people of Palestine and Southern Lebanon, citing home demolitions, settler attacks, and nighttime bombings.

The actor trained her criticism directly on Washington, arguing that American leadership holds the capacity to alter the conflict’s trajectory but chooses otherwise. She added that allowing the Israeli leader to travel freely indicted both Republicans and Democrats who enable and protect architects of genocide like Netanyahu.

“If the pictures of my friends and me getting arrested in protest of Netanyahu’s shameful visit to New York draw attention to anything, let it be to the devastating genocidal war Israel is waging against the people of Palestine and Southern Lebanon — to the settler attacks, the home demolitions, the bombing of people as they sleep; to the crimes that happen every SINGLE day but garner almost no international press coverage.”

Hannah Einbinder, Actor and Comedian, via The Independent

Celebrity Presence and Broader Demonstrations at the United Nations

The sit-in brought together a wide array of public figures, artists, and political figures. Photographs from the scene captured Einbinder alongside Saturday Night Live comedian Sarah Sherman, while other notable attendees included actors Cynthia Nixon, Elliot Page, and Indya Moore, along with musicians Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker of boygenius. Local elected officials, including New York City Council member Chi Ossé and state Assembly member Emily Gallagher, were also among those detained.

Photo: hollywoodreporter.com

The Israeli prime minister responded by labeling the departing diplomats moral cowards and defended his country’s military campaigns as the opposite of genocide. He also criticized protesters as phony human rights protestors while questioning why similar demonstrations had not targeted Iranian authorities.

Activism and Community Support Initiatives

Einbinder’s recent detention follows a consistent public platform on Palestinian rights. During her acceptance speech at the 2025 Emmy Awards, where she won for supporting comedy actress in Hacks, she concluded her remarks by telling the audience go birds, fuck ICE and free Palestine.

Photo: yahoo.com

Alongside her public statements regarding the New York protest, Einbinder shared a donation link on her social media directing followers to Pal Humanity, a relief initiative operated by two Palestinian women doctors providing medical aid and sustainable support inside Gaza. With no formal charges disclosed in her initial statements, the actor reiterated her core message to her followers: Let us not mistake the spectacle for the story: genocide is the headline, and it is time for it to end.