Hundreds Stage Mass Anti-War Protest Demanding Stop Arming Israel and to End the Genocide in Gaza 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 24, 2026

Media Contacts: 

Sonya Meyerson-Knox | 510-993-6526 | [email protected] 

Liv Kunins-Berkowitz | 510-314-7660 | [email protected]

Photo and video: available here 

Interviews with participants and more footage available upon request 

Hannah Einbinder, Darializa Avila Chevalier, Glennon Doyle arrested alongside 104 New Yorkers as Hundreds Staged Mass Anti-War Protest Demanding Stop Arming Israel and to End the Genocide in Gaza 

Ahead of Netanyahu’s arrival to the UN, elected officials, Democratic nominees for Congress Brad Lander, Chris Rabb, Melat Kiros, Boygenius members Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, Elliot Page and Chelsea Manning joined 400 Jewish, Palestinian, Iranian and Lebanese New Yorkers

New York, New York (September 24, 2026) — As Netanyahu arrived to the United Nations, elected officials, celebrities, and hundreds of New Yorkers participated in a mass anti-war sit-in outside of the UN calling on the world to stop arming Israel and to end the genocide in Gaza. They took to the street on 39th St. and 1st Ave with the United Nations behind them crying out “Let Gaza Live” while wearing white t-shirts that read “Jews say Fund People Not Bombs.” Over 104 people were arrested, including Democratic Nominee for Congress Darializa Avila Chavalier, actor Hannah Einbinder, author and activist Glennon Doyle, whistleblower Chelsea Manning, as well as future State Senator Aber Kawas and State Assembly Member David Orkin. 

“As we protest, the Israeli military furthers the genocide in Gaza and destruction across the region. We are living through the crushing conditions of expanding fascism here in the US. But this is a movement that refuses to give up, and we know we can end this. From the streets of NYC to the halls of Congress we will be relentless in our demands to stop arming Israel,” said Stefanie Fox, Executive Director of Jewish Voice for Peace. 

“Benjamin Netanyahu belongs at the Hague; not in the streets of New York City, and certainly not addressing the United Nations General Assembly. The International Criminal Court has a warrant out for his arrest for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The UN’s own Commission of Inquiry found that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and named Netanyahu as its chief architect,” said Darializa Avila Chevalier, Democratic Nominee for Congress in NY-13. “As the Democratic Nominee for New York’s 13th Congressional District, I refuse to allow a war criminal to roam the streets of our city unchallenged. I refuse to play host to a man who has overseen the slaughter or injury of more than ​64,000 children in Gaza​ with American tax payer dollars. I refuse to be complicit in genocide.”

Participants included Democratic nominees for Congress: Darializa Avila Chevalier, Brad Lander, Chris Rabb, Adam Hamawy, and Melat Kiros, alongside over 20 NY city and state representatives. Nine elected officials and nominees were arrested. Additionally, Hannah Einbinder, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker of Boygenius, Chelsea Manning, Glennon Doyle, Elliot Page, Linda Sarsour, Tony Kushner, Mary Beth Barone, Caleb Hearon, Cynthia Nixon, Sarah Sherman and other notable New Yorkers also joined the historic protest (see below for full list of elected officials and celebrities). The majority of participants were Jewish, joined by Palestinian, Lebanese, and Iranian New Yorkers, and included parents, teachers, nurses, grandmothers, and descendants of Holocaust survivors, who were determined to raise their voices as Netanyahu roamed free in the streets of New York City. 

“As a Jew, as an American, and as a human it is my moral responsibility to stand against the genocide of Palestinians by the Israeli government. I am proudly risking arrest today because I believe this moment calls on each and every one of us to speak out and demand the U.S. stop funding genocide,” said Hannah Einbinder, the Emmy award winning actress and star of Hacks as she was being arrested by the NYPD. Einbinder has repeatedly spoken out for Palestinian freedom. 

The protestors carried a massive white kite that read “FREE PALESTINE.” In August, the Israeli government threatened to assassinate children for flying kites. In defiance of Netanyahu and in honor of the children of Gaza, the protestors flew their kites in the Manhattan wind. 

“There’s an arrest warrant out for Benjamin Netanyahu for the war crimes he’s committing in Gaza. Trump is refusing to arrest him so we’re taking to the streets to make it clear to our government, and to future generations who will look back on this moment, that we refuse to normalize genocide. We refuse to normalize sending billions to commit war crimes, meanwhile our own schools and hospitals here are underfunded,” said Sumaya Awad, a Palestinian American New Yorker and Director of Organizing for Adalah Justice Project. 

“War criminal Netanyahu should not be welcome in New York City while actively engaged in genocide against Palestinians. New Yorkers are taking to the street to make it clear that we demand accountability and concrete action from our elected officials, too many of whom have remained silent. Ultimately, this is about more than Netanyahu. We urgently need to cut off the flow of U.S. taxpayer dollars and weapons that are enabling Israel’s genocide,” said Aber Kawas, a Palestinian New Yorker and Democratic Nominee for State Senate District 12. 

“During the past three years — while more and more American children go without food, education, and healthcare — Biden and Trump sent $30 billion to the Israeli military. Together, America and Israel have killed 20,000 Palestinian children. Our government wants us to keep thinking of this as an issue between Israel and Palestine — but this is an American issue. We are funding this genocide and we can end it by demanding that our elected officials decide once and for whether they will continue to use American tax money to massacre children or to educate and feed and protect them,” said author and activist Glennon Doyle.

After Zohran Mamdani was elected in a landslide victory last year, voters across the country have continued to rise up against the political establishment that failed them. From Sunnyside to Harlem in New York City, and from Denver to Philadelphia to Trenton, they elected candidates who champion working people and fight relentlessly to defend the rights of all people from the US to Palestine. Many of this new generation of political leaders have been stalwart participants in the movement for Palestinian freedom. Today they joined New Yorkers in the streets. (Full list below).

“This midterm primary cycle was a political earthquake for the Democratic party. In races across the country, voters elected a new generation of representatives who will shake the political establishment. Today, as a war criminal addresses the United Nations, we’re protesting alongside many of these incoming members of Congress who will go to D.C. to champion working people and fight relentlessly for the rights of all people from the US to Palestine. Change is coming,” said Beth Miller, Political Director of Jewish Voice for Peace. 

The protest was led by Jewish Voice for Peace and supported by Palestinian Youth Movement, Adalah Justice Project, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights, Arab American Association of NY, About Face: Veterans Against the War, NYC-DSA, Sunrise Movement, CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities, Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, IfNotNow Movement, Rabbis for Ceasefire, Christians for a Free Palestine, Feminists for Jina, Hindus for Human Rights, and QueerArt.

Electeds and Nominees Present: 

• Democratic nominees for Congress: Darializa Avila Chevalier, Brad Lander, Chris Rabb, Adam Hamawy, Melat Kiros 
• State Senator Jabari Brisport
• State Assemblymembers Emily Gallagher, Diana Moreno
• City Councilmembers Chi Ossé, Tiffany Cabán, Alexa Avilés, Jen Gutierrez, Sandy Nurse, Shahana Hanif
• Democratic nominee for State Senate: Aber Kawas
• Democratic nominees for State Assembly: Samantha Kattan, David Orkin, Brian Romero, Christian Celeste Tate, Illapa Sairitupac

Elected and Nominees Arrested: Darializa Avila Chevalier, Aber Kawas, Alexa Avilés, Chi Ossé, Christian Celeste Tate, David Orkin, Emily Gallagher, Illapa Sairitupac, Jennifer Gutiérrez

Celebrities Present

• Hannah Einbinder
• Elliot Page
• Cynthia Nixon
• Boygenius members Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker
• Chelsea Manning 
• Glennon Doyle
• Susan Sarandon
• Sarah Sherman
• Chani Nicholas 
• Rabbi Abby Stein
• Debra Winger
• Caleb Hearon
• Courtney O’Donnell
• David Valesco
• Indya Moore 
• Taylor Trensch
• Paul Soileau
• Morgan Bassichis
• Esther Fallick
• Mary Beth Barone

Celebrities Arrested: Hannah Einbinder, Chelsea Manning, Susan Sarandon, Indya Moore, Glennon Doyle, Linda Sarsour, C Holmes, Caleb Hearon, Rabbi Abby Stein, Debra Winger, David Valesco

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The Jewish Voice for Peace family of organizations organizes a grassroots, multiracial, cross-class, intergenerational movement of U.S. Jews into solidarity with the Palestinian freedom struggle, guided by a vision of justice, equality and dignity for all people. Jewish Voice for Peace Action (JVP Action), our 501(c)(4) organization, is now doing business as Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), while our 501(c)(3) work continues through JVP Leadership and Culture Lab (JVP Lab).  JVP is the largest progressive Jewish anti-Zionist organization in the world.