Susan Sarandon was one of the stars detained at a protest outside of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s United Nations address.
The 79-year-old actress was among dozens who were cuffed as NYPD cops worked to clear First Avenue ahead of the speech to the UN General Assembly.
A smiling Sarandon, who was memorably canceled over her Pro-Palestine comments, looked up to the sky serenely as she was cuffed by NYPD officers, three years after she found herself behind bars after attending a protest at the New York state Capitol in Albany.
Fellow actresses Hannah Einbinder and Cynthia Nixon were also among those who reportedly were taken into custody.
The protest began at around noon as socialist groups joined Jewish Voice For Peace as they blocked traffic near the UN with the aim of calling out Netanyahu’s war in Gaza and the ongoing conflict in Iran.
Ahead of Netanyahu’s visit, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged his arrest, saying the US should honor a warrant for Netanyahu issued by the International Criminal Court.
Susan Sarandon was one of the stars detained at a protest outside of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s United Nations address
Fellow actresses Hannah Einbinder (pictured) and Cynthia Nixon were also among those who reportedly were taken into custody
Netanyahu is seen addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at UN headquarters in New York on Thursday
He is wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Gaza, though the US is not a member of the court and New York City lacks the authority to arrest him.
The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Sarandon, Einbinder, and Nixon for comment and has yet to hear back.
Earlier this month, Sarandon revealed that her political beliefs continue to affect her professional life.
The veteran actress – who has previously said she’s been blacklisted over pro-Palestinian comments – was asked at the Venice Film Festival if the ‘tides [are] changing’ in show business.
She answered in part, ‘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. But that’s the power structure,’ per People.
On the other hand, she said, ‘I think that the narrative has completely changed. There’s a lot of things that people are aware of now.’
Sarandon said in Italy on Sunday, ‘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.’
Referencing the movie, she continued, ‘In terms of doing this film, I thank Andrea for that, because he didn’t listen to the warnings.
A smiling Sarandon, who was memorably canceled over her Pro-Palestine comments, looked up to the sky serenely as she was cuffed by NYPD officers, three years after she found herself behind bars after attending a protest at the New York state Capitol in Albany
‘So I think, yes, there has been a change in terms of understanding of the situation, and I think the general public, but there are still very strongly held positions within my industry held by Zionists and [those] who have not relaxed their feelings towards me. But I found my family, I found my people, and I’m okay.’
Earlier this year, Sarandon spoke out about her alleged blacklisting from the industry over pro-Palestinian remarks she made amid Israel’s ongoing attacks on Gaza.
During a press conference in Barcelona, Spain in March, she recalled being dropped by her talent agency after she called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
‘I was fired by my agency specifically for marching and speaking out about Gaza – for asking for a ceasefire – and it became impossible for me to even be on television,’ she said ahead of the 40th Goya Awards.
‘I don’t know lately if it’s changed, [but] I couldn’t do any major film, anything connected with Hollywood,’ she shared.
Sarandon said that even foreign filmmakers were being urged not to work with her.
‘This Italian director that just hired me, he was told not to hire me,’ she noted. ‘So that’s still recently. He didn’t listen, but they had that conversation.’
The Rocky Horror Picture Show star claimed in late 2023 that Jewish people were ‘getting a taste of what it feels like to be Muslim’ amid the war with Hamas at a rally in New York City.
She then apologized for her comment, explaining that she had not planned to speak at the rally, but was invited to address the crowd and intended to ‘highlight the urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza.’
In an interview with The Times of London in late 2024, Sarandon reflected on how the controversy led to the departure of her agent and how she is no longer able to star in mainstream studio films.
She told the publication: ‘I was dropped by my agency, my projects were pulled. I’ve been used as an example of what not to do if you want to continue to work.
‘There are so many people out of work right now since November of last year… who have lost their jobs as custodians, as writers, as painters, as people working in the cafeteria, substitute teachers who have been fired because they tweeted something, or liked a tweet, or asked for a ceasefire.’
Asked if she would ever be offered a big film role again, she replied: ‘I don’t know. Not anything in Hollywood.’
In 2023 Sarandon found herself behind bars after attending a protest at the New York state Capitol in Albany in support of raising minimum wage for tipped restaurant workers.
New York state legislators were getting ready to increase the minimum wage to $17 an hour, though tipped restaurant workers are excluded from this new law.
The actress was one of eight activists for One Fair Wage who were arrested, via WNYT.
Spectrum 1 Albany reporter Kate Lisa also shared a video on Twitter, showing the activists – including former New York lieutenant governor candidate Ana Maria Archila – at the state Capitol concourse shouting, ‘One fair wage!’ repeatedly.
They were also trying to spread a massive pink banner across the concourse before they were arrested for disorderly conduct.
Sarandon and the others were all processed, issued appearance tickets and released.
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