A Star-Studded Protest Hits A Roadblock

Raised fist in foreground at a crowded street protest
Photo: Ink Drop / Shutterstock

Police detained actors Susan Sarandon and Hannah Einbinder during a New York protest timed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s United Nations speech.

Story Highlights

  • Police detained Sarandon and Einbinder as protesters blocked streets near the United Nations.
  • Demonstrators rallied during Netanyahu’s General Assembly appearance with anti-war slogans.
  • Footage and photos showed Sarandon and Einbinder in handcuffs amid a larger group.
  • Reports varied on total detainees, ranging from more than two dozen to about 100.

Detentions During United Nations Protest

New York police detained actors Susan Sarandon and Hannah Einbinder on September 24, 2026, near the United Nations headquarters as protesters filled First Avenue during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s appearance. Agence France-Presse reported officers took multiple people into custody after demonstrators failed to comply with orders to clear the street. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported the detentions occurred as Netanyahu addressed the General Assembly, and that photos showed both actors in handcuffs at the scene.

Agence France-Presse described the protest as organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, with banners that read “Stop Arming Israel” and “End the Genocide”. Reporters on scene cited police actions focused on clearing blocked lanes and restoring traffic near the complex. Coverage consistently linked the demonstration’s timing to Netanyahu’s speech, which drew a heavy security footprint and a large crowd pressing its message at the United Nations during a high-profile week.

Size Of The Police Action And What We Know

Reports offered different counts of how many people were taken into custody. Agence France-Presse highlighted multiple detentions after noncompliance, while other outlets cited more than two dozen or about 100 people in custody. That spread reflects common mass-protest reporting gaps as police and media tally rolling actions. Coverage also differed slightly on the exact location descriptions, from “outside the UN” to references to First Avenue corridors near the complex.

Footage referenced by Agence France-Presse showed officers cuffing Sarandon, while Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported images of both Sarandon and Einbinder in handcuffs. Some outlets used “arrested” and “detained” interchangeably across headlines and captions. Variety noted uncertainty in early reports about whether the pair were formally arrested or temporarily detained, a typical difference in mass civil-disobedience events where citations or releases can follow processing.

Who Organized The Protest And Why It Drew Headlines

Jewish Voice for Peace organized the action, according to Agence France-Presse, and framed the message around ending United States weapons support to Israel. The crowd used coordinated signs and chants to press that demand during a global media moment at the United Nations. The presence of well-known figures widened coverage. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and other outlets highlighted additional public names among those detained, underscoring the scale and visibility of the operation around the complex.

Police conduct at these events often centers on keeping emergency lanes open and preventing gridlock on major approaches. When demonstrators engage in sit-ins or blockades, officers typically issue orders to disperse and then detain noncompliant groups for processing. That sequence matches the accounts in this case. Published reports did not include a detailed New York Police Department custody roster for each person named. Counts, charge levels, and release times often finalize hours after the scene clears.

How To Read These Numbers And Terms

Large protests often create fast, partial numbers that shift through the evening. Tallies can differ by whether reporters count on-scene handcuffing, precinct bookings, or later releases. The terms “detained,” “taken into custody,” and “arrested” also describe different steps. Early coverage sometimes compresses those steps. In this case, the strongest confirmed facts are the timing with Netanyahu’s speech, the location near the United Nations, and images of Sarandon and Einbinder in handcuffs during a coordinated police clearing action.

Sources:

youtube.com, theguardian.com, cbc.ca