Susan Sarandon among more than 100 detained during anti-Netanyahu protest

(Gray News/AP) - A group of protesters gathered in Midtown Manhattan on Thursday to call for Palestinian rights and an end to Israel’s war.

Demonstrators blocked traffic and chanted “stop the bombs” and “end the killing” while holding banners calling to “stop arming Israel.”

Actress Susan Sarandon was in the crowd.

Sarandon was among dozens of people detained, handcuffed and removed from the protest. She has been an avid supporter of Palestine and claims her advocacy has cost her jobs.

Actress Hannah Einbinder was also detained.

The protest took place ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the U.N. General Assembly.

Netanyahu accused Mayor Zohran Mamdani of endangering Jewish New Yorkers with his criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, saying during a speech at the United Nations on Thursday that the mayor has spread lies about Israel.

Calling Mamdani “the antisemitic mayor of New York,” Netanyahu spent part of his time speaking to the United Nations General Assembly to assail the man who threatened to have him arrested if he came to the city.

It’s the latest in a back-and-forth between Netanyahu and New York City’s first Muslim mayor, who has long been a vocal critic of Israel’s military actions in Gaza and has called Netanyahu a “war criminal” who is “the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people.” Mamdani has said that his criticism of Israel and advocacy for Palestinian rights don’t amount to antisemitism.

The mayor met with U.S. President Donald Trump this week in New York. Netanyahu, during his speech Thursday, praised the president for his support of Israel, saying “we’ve had no greater partner than President Trump.”

In a statement, Mamdani repeated his criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza, where more than 73,000 people have been killed since Netanyahu launched a punishing war in retaliation for the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7, 2023.

Several U.N. delegates walked out once Netanyahu began speaking.

In response, the Israeli prime minister called them “moral cowards.”