Susan Sarandon and Hannah Einbinder Detained at NYC Protest Against Netanyahu's UN Speech

The New York Police Department detained actors Susan Sarandon and Hannah Einbinder on Thursday outside the United Nations headquarters, where protesters had gathered to block the motorcade of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of his address to the General Assembly. Photographs and video of Sarandon and Einbinder being led away in handcuffs circulated on social media before Netanyahu began speaking, according to Variety. The demonstration drew around 100 anti-war protesters who staged a sit-in on First Avenue near 39th Street, a few blocks south of the U.N. building, according to The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline.

The NYPD said officers responded to reports of an "unscheduled demonstration" and issued warnings to participants before taking into custody those who continued to block the intersection. Actor Caleb Hearon was also identified among those taken into custody, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Cynthia Nixon attended the protest but was not arrested; her representatives told The Hollywood Reporter that she did not plan to be arrested.

Elliot Page also attended and was not arrested, according to Yahoo Entertainment. The protest was organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, which accused the U.N. of "playing host to a war criminal," according to Al Jazeera. Demonstrators held banners reading "Stop Arming Israel" and "End the Genocide," and chanted "Free Palestine" and "Netanyahu out of New York. No bombs on Lebanon," according to CP24 and Yahoo Entertainment.

Einbinder, an Emmy-winning star of "Hacks," spoke out after her arrest on Instagram, urging followers to focus on what she called "the devastating genocidal war Israel is waging against the people of Gaza," according to Variety. She also called on the U.S. government to "bring an end" to Israel's attacks on Gaza, Deadline reported. Sarandon has a long history of activism related to Israel's war in Gaza.

At the Venice Film Festival earlier this month, she said she had lost movie roles because of her outspoken views, according to CP24. "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," she said. Inside the General Assembly, dozens of delegates walked out as Netanyahu began his speech, in which he criticized Britain and France for moving to recognize the state of Palestine, according to CP24 and Deadline.

Representatives for Sarandon, Einbinder, and Hearon could not be reached for comment on Thursday, and the NYPD could not be contacted via its media phone line, according to The Hollywood Reporter.