Protesters were arrested in New York on September 24 as demonstrations took place outside the United Nations headquarters during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the UN General Assembly, with protesters demanding accountability over the Israeli regime’s genocidal war in Gaza and an end to US military support for the Zionist regime.
The New York Police Department said 103 people were arrested for disorderly conduct and that all had been released, while organizers said more than 104 people were detained during the demonstration.
The protests took place as Netanyahu addressed the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, drawing hundreds of demonstrators who blocked part of First Avenue in a sit-in near the UN headquarters.
“I’m born and raised in New York City, and it’s a total disrespect for Benjamin Netanyahu to be here,” Jose, a protest attendee who gave only his first name, told Al Jazeera.
“He’s a war criminal, and we don’t tolerate that.”
The demonstration was led by Jewish Voice for Peace and supported by the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, with participants including Jewish, Palestinian, Iranian and Lebanese New Yorkers, as well as elected officials, political candidates and public figures.
Protesters called for an end to US military support for Israeli regime and demanded accountability over the genocidal war in Gaza.
“What we’re seeing this week is that Trump and Netanyahu are using the United Nations General Assembly as a bully pulpit to espouse their vision of the world, which is one ruled by brute force, by war crimes with impunity,” Nas Issa, a member of the Palestinian Youth Movement and an activist at the demonstration, told Al Jazeera.
Police ordered protesters to clear the road before moving in to make arrests, according to Al Jazeera.
Among those detained were political candidates and elected officials, with organizers saying nine of the people arrested held elected office or were candidates for political positions.
The protests also focused on New York’s role in the movement of US military supplies to the Israeli regime.
A day earlier, the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America held a news conference at John F. Kennedy International Airport, calling for an immediate halt to military and explosive cargo shipments through the airport and greater transparency over previous military shipments to Israel.
The demonstrations continued a broader wave of protests surrounding Netanyahu’s visit to New York, with hundreds of people gathering outside the UN headquarters as he prepared to address the General Assembly.
Separately, many delegations walked out of the General Assembly during Netanyahu’s speech, while some representatives remained.