American actress Susan Sarandon is among those arrested Thursday by police in New York, during the dispersal of a demonstration against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. AFP images show New York police officers handcuffing the “Thelma and Louise” star during this demonstration, while the Israeli leader was preparing to address the UN General Assembly.
The New York Post reported that actress Hannah Einbinder, of the series “Hacks,” was also evacuated from the sit-in organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, where demonstrators held signs proclaiming “Stop arming Israel” and “End the genocide.” Jewish Voice for Peace claimed on social media that more than 100 people had been arrested.
“More than 400 people participated in a massive sit-in in front of the UN to demand an end to genocide and an end to funding of the US military to Israel,” the organization added on X. “We refuse to stand by while war criminals are given a platform to speak out and our government spends billions on war,” it added.
An undeclared demonstration
A spokeswoman for the New York Police Department (NYPD) said its officers responded to an “undeclared protest” blocking an intersection. She claimed that the police had asked the demonstrators to leave the scene, but that they had “continued to block the intersection”. “Several people who did not obey were taken into custody,” she added, without specifying their number.
Susan Sarandon, also known for her roles in “The Last March” or “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” is no stranger to protests against Israel’s war in Gaza. She recently said she was losing business because of her stance against Israel.
