Celebs Arrested Protesting Netanyahu at UN! 🎬✊
Celebs Arrested Protesting Netanyahu at UN! 🎬✊
Susan Sarandon, Hannah Einbinder, and other stars were arrested in NYC protesting Benjamin Netanyahu's UN speech, standing against policies in Gaza. See why they took a stand.
New York City witnessed a powerful display of civil disobedience outside the United Nations on September 24, 2026, as prominent celebrities and activists converged to protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech. Organized by the advocacy group Jewish Voice for Peace, the demonstration at the intersection of First Avenue and 39th Street saw stars like Susan Sarandon, Hannah Einbinder, Julien Baker, and Lucy Dacus joining over a hundred protesters.
Chants of “Ne-tan-ya-hu, you can't hide! You are wanted for gen-o-cide!” echoed through the streets as Netanyahu prepared to address the UN. The protest aimed to highlight a 2025 UN commission finding that alleged Israel was committing genocide in its ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip.
The participants, many of whom are familiar faces from screens and stages, gathered knowing that arrest was an expected outcome of their peaceful resistance. Among those present were comedian Mary Beth Barone, presumptive incoming Congresswomen Darializa Avila Chevalier and Melat Kiros, New York City Councilmember Chi Osse, and activist Chelsea Manning.
Even figures like Cynthia Nixon, Caleb Hearon, Elliott Page, and incoming Congressman Brad Lander were seen supporting the demonstration.
The scene was set for planned arrests, with prison buses visible on First Avenue, though neither the protesters nor the police seemed to be in a rush.
Chelsea Manning, a long-time activist, explained the rationale behind such an act of defiance, stating, “This is a way that we, as people, outside of these institutions can show a rejection of the policies of empire, of ethnic cleansing, of genocide. We can't be in there.
This is the closest that we can get.” This sentiment underscored the protest's core purpose: to challenge policies perceived as unjust by those unable to influence from within official channels. While some might cynically label such events as "photo-ops," their tangible benefit to a global movement is undeniable.
Photos of celebrities like Einbinder and Sarandon being led away in zip ties rapidly spread across social media, amplifying the message far beyond the physical protest site. Musicians Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus, who have consistently voiced support for the Palestinian cause, emphasized their commitment to direct action.
"We have a history of protesting even before anyone was listening to us," Dacus shared, while Baker added, "No matter what level you're at - direct action is possible," moments before police warnings blared.
The NYPD issued repeated warnings to disperse before officers began detaining demonstrators for disorderly conduct.
The protest served as a powerful visual statement, utilizing the public profiles of its participants to draw attention to a contentious international issue and to express solidarity with those affected by the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
