Actresses Susan Sarandon and Hannah Einbinder have been arrested in New York while attending a protest against Benjamin Netanyahu. Footage shows police detaining the Oscar winner, who was wearing a T-shirt with the words Fund People Not Bombs, at a demonstration ahead of the Israeli prime minister addressing the United Nations General Assembly.
Protest details and arrests
Protesters had held up signs to 'stop arming Israel' and 'end the genocide' at the rally organised by Jewish Voice for Peace. A spokesperson for the NYPD said it was an 'unscheduled demonstration' and that people had been blocking an intersection.
'Members of the NYPD Community Affairs Bureau issued … warnings, advising participants that they should leave,' they said. 'They continued to block the intersection. Multiple individuals who didn't comply were taken into custody.'
The Thelma & Louise icon and the Hacks star, who were both seen in handcuffs, weren't the only ones being detained, with New York City Council member Chi Ossé also reportedly arrested.
Sarandon's activism and career impact
Sarandon, 79, has been a vocal supporter of Palestine for many years, telling reporters – including Metro – at Venice Film Festival that it's cost her work.
'In terms of the power structure, I've still had movies taken away recently because there are agencies that are telling people not to hire me still,' she said. 'But that's the power structure. I think within the people, certainly internationally, I feel welcome.'
'So it depends. If it's a major studio, I think there is, not just with me but with other people, that have been told that that is impossible.'
The Rocky Horror Picture Show star was dropped by her agent, UTA, in 2023 after attending several pro-Palestinian rallies, including one on November 17 of that year in New York, where she called for an Israel-Gaza ceasefire.
Netanyahu's UN address and reactions
Inside the general assembly, several envoys walked out as Netanyahu began his speech, which Sky described as enough people to create a 'long queue'.
'If there are any other moral cowards who haven't yet left this hall, please do so now,' Netanyahu said. Throughout his speech, he reportedly spoke directly about other leaders, telling Emmanuel Macron, 'you don't know what you're talking about'.
'They accuse Israel, tiny Israel, of colonialism – some colonialism,' he said. 'And who's accusing us? Among them are people in Britain and in France. For God's sakes, they invented the term.'
He also thanked US President Donald Trump, calling him Israel's 'greatest partner' before saying the two had worked together to launch the war against Iran 'to save civilisation'.
Elsewhere in his address, Netanyahu dismissed the 'exaggerated coverage' of the war in Gaza. According to Gaza's Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government, at least 73,922 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's offensive.
He said: 'What [the media] cover is a handful of young juvenile delinquents, about 150 in number, who go or throw stones, who chop down olive trees.'
'I can't stand that. I won't stand for vigilantism.'
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas gave his own speech in a pre-recorded message after the delegation was 'denied entry visas' to the US.
'We will not leave our homeland. We will not accept displacement. And we will not allow anyone to decide our future on our behalf,' Abbas said. He accused Israel of pursuing a 'malicious colonial plan' aimed at driving Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank.
