Hundreds of protesters gathered near the United Nations in Manhattan on Thursday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared to address the U.N. General Assembly, with police making multiple arrests after demonstrators blocked a roadway near the complex.
The protest was organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, a U.S.-based Jewish organization that opposes Israeli government policies toward Palestinians. Demonstrations against Netanyahu had been expected throughout the day, with several groups planning actions near the U.N. as his speech approached.
Celebrities Join the Protest
Video from independent New York journalist Oliya Scootercaster showed a large crowd blocking the road outside the United Nations as officers moved in to make arrests.
According to Scootercaster’s on-scene report, several well-known public figures were among those participating, including Elliot Page, Susan Sarandon, Hannah Einbinder and Chelsea Manning.
Because that specific list of participants was reported in the live social-media coverage, it should be treated as an on-scene report unless and until each appearance is independently confirmed by additional news organizations.
Protest Timed With Netanyahu’s UN Visit
Netanyahu was scheduled to address the General Assembly later Thursday, with protests both supporting and opposing him planned around the U.N. complex.
CBS New York reported that rival demonstrations were expected outside the United Nations, including a protest against the war in Gaza and a separate gathering supporting Netanyahu.
The Guardian also reported that several demonstrations had been organized around Netanyahu’s appearance, including actions involving Jewish Voice for Peace and other groups opposed to his government’s conduct in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories.
A Week of Demonstrations Around the UN
The protest came during an already tense week around the U.N. General Assembly.
Demonstrations had taken place outside the United Nations the previous day as well, with protesters criticizing Netanyahu while other groups organized rallies focused on rising antisemitism.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a vocal critic of Netanyahu, had said demonstrators would have the right to protest in the city while Netanyahu was in New York.
Arrests Outside the UN
Thursday’s action escalated when protesters moved into the roadway and blocked traffic near the U.N.
Video showed officers arresting participants one by one as the demonstration continued. The exact number of arrests was not yet independently confirmed at the time of publication.
Netanyahu’s visit comes amid continuing international criticism of Israel’s military operations in Gaza and broader disputes over the war, Palestinian statehood and Israel’s policies in the West Bank. Israel has rejected accusations that its military campaign amounts to genocide and says its operations are directed against Hamas.
The protest outside the U.N. was one of several demonstrations expected around Netanyahu’s appearance, turning the streets surrounding the General Assembly into another focal point for the political divisions surrounding the conflict.
Sources: The Guardian; CBS New York; ABC7 New York; Reuters; Oliya Scootercaster / FreedomNewsTV; Rivkah Brown / X.
By NJ RADAR Team
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[…] The demonstration began before Netanyahu’s scheduled appearance at the General Assembly and quickly disrupted traffic around the U.N. complex. […]