Over 100 Arrested in New York Protests Against Netanyahu's UN Visit

More than 100 individuals were arrested in Manhattan on Thursday, September 24, during protests against the arrival of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his address at the UN General Assembly. A spokesperson for the New York Police Department confirmed that the number of detainees exceeded 100. The protest organizers, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), reported 104 arrests.

Participants in one of the demonstrations blocked traffic on First Avenue near the UN complex. Among those detained were actresses Susan Sarandon and Hannah Einbinder, Democratic congressional candidate Dariais Avila Chevalier, and several New York City council members. Actress Cynthia Nixon, Elliot Page, and other notable figures also participated, though reports did not confirm Nixon's arrest.

The protest was organized in part by the anti-Israel Jewish organization Jewish Voice for Peace. Demonstrators called for an end to U.S. arms shipments to Israel and accused Israel of "genocide" in the Gaza Strip. JVP stated that hundreds of Jews, Palestinians, Iranians, and Lebanese, along with American politicians and cultural figures, took part.

New York Mayor Eric Adams, who has previously criticized Netanyahu, did not participate in the demonstrations. He emphasized the right to peaceful protest protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, while not encouraging residents to join the protests.