Susan Sarandon and Hacks star Hannah Einbinder were reportedly among a group of demonstrators detained for protesting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s appearance at the United Nations.
Footage shared widely via social media appeared to show both actresses among a group of protestors being led away in handcuffs during a rally outside the United Nations Headquarters in New York City on Thursday, September 24. Saturday Night Live cast member Sarah Sherman was also in attendance for the rally.
Us has reached out to reps for both stars as well the NYPD for comment.
Clashes between protestors and police were widely expected given the heightened debate over the Israeli government’s alleged conduct following the October 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks.
A United Nations report released in June stated that 20,000 children have been killed and more than 44,000 more have been injured in the region since October 7. Israel has repeatedly denied accusations of committing genocide or war crimes in Gaza.
Protests carried over into the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, as Netanyahu, 76, openly taunted delegations who walked out during his speech.
“Where were you when the Iranian tyrants butchered and maimed tens of thousands of unarmed Iranian civilians?” Israel’s Prime Minister asked.
Both Einbinder, 31, and Sarandon, 79, have been staunch advocates for the Palestinian people throughout the current conflict. In September 2025, the Hacks actress closed her Emmys acceptance speech for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series by demanding justice for Palestinians.
“Go Birds [Philadelphia Eagles], f*** ICE, free Palestine,” she declared.
Einbinder said at the Cannes Film Festival in May that the cost of not speaking out about the crisis in Gaza was greater than any personal reputational damage in Hollywood, per The Guardian.
“I follow in the steps of Palestinians who have set the bar, who have always had to be their own advocates,” Einbinder stressed. “I am really pleased to join a tradition of Palestinians and Jewish allies who are committed to being vocal in a time where a lot of people shy away from that. I follow their lead.”
Sarandon shared similar sentiments at the 2026 Venice International Film Festival, revealing she’s lost movie roles because of her support for Palestine.
“I’ve still had movies taken away recently because there are agencies that are telling people not to hire me still,” the Oscar winner claimed this month. “But, that’s the power structure. I think within the people, certainly internationally, I feel welcome.”
Sarandon was previously dropped by her talent agency, United Talent Agency (UTA), after comments she made about the Israel-Palestine conflict at a New York City rally in 2023. At that protest, Sarandon suggested that those who were afraid to speak about their Jewish faith in this climate were “getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country, so often subjected to violence.”
The actress later apologized for her comments about Jewish individuals, explaining that she wanted to “show solidarity in the struggle against bigotry of all kinds.”
“Recently, I attended a rally alongside a diverse group of activists seeking to highlight the urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza and call for a censure. I had not planned to speak but was invited to take the stage and say a few words,” she wrote via Instagram in December 2023. “This phrasing was a terrible mistake, as it implies that until recently Jews have been strangers to persecution, when the opposite is true. As we all know, from centuries of oppression and genocide in Europe to the Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh, PA, Jews have long been familiar with discrimination and religious violence, which continues to this day.”
