Hannah Einbinder and Susan Sarandon were among those detained on Sept. 24 in New York City for protesting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was set to speak at the U.N. General Assembly. Pictures of the actors being led away from protests in cuffs went viral on social media before Netanyahu began speaking, such as the X post below from the account Land Palestine.
It is not yet confirmed if Einbinder and Sarandon were arrested or simply detained. Variety has reached out to the NYPD, as well as the actors’ reps, for further information.
Per The New York Times, Netanyahu’s speech began by asking delegates who left the room when his speech began, “Where were you when the Iranian tyrants butchered and maimed tens of thousands of unarmed Iranian civilians?”
Later in his speech, he criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and internet streamer Hasan Piker.
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Both actors have been outspoken in their critique of Israeli politics and in their support of Palestine.
Einbinder spoke at Cannes about speaking out about Palestine and how it could impact her career.
“The cost of not speaking is higher, you know?” she said. “There is a greater toll in not speaking, and you just gotta have your priorities straight. I am under no impression that my one small career could ever measure up in comparison to even one human life. So, you know, it’s an obligation and I will always do it.”
Sarandon said at the Venice Film Festival in September that her career has definitely been impacted by speaking out.
“I’ve still had movies taken away recently because there are agencies that are telling people not to hire me still,” she continued. “But that’s the power structure. I think within the people, certainly internationally, I feel welcome.”
From Variety US