Susan Sarandon was led away in handcuffs by New York police during a protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside the United Nations on Thursday, 24 September, just weeks after she claimed that her outspoken support for Palestinians was still costing her film roles.
The Oscar-winning actress was among at least 30 people arrested during the demonstration ahead of Netanyahu's address to the UN General Assembly, according to Reuters. Emmy winner Hannah Einbinder was also arrested, placing two high-profile Hollywood figures at the centre of a protest that drew around 200 people.
The demonstration was organised by Jewish Voice for Peace. Protesters blocked traffic outside the UN, and police ordered them to leave. While some moved to the pavement, others remained seated in the roadway and continued chanting. Officers then removed protesters who stayed in the street and took them to police buses.
That detail is significant because the reported arrests followed the road blockade and refusal by some demonstrators to disperse, rather than being reported as arrests simply for opposing Netanyahu.
Sarandon's Hollywood Claim Comes Back Into Focus
Sarandon's arrest comes only weeks after she spoke at the Venice Film Festival about what she described as continuing professional fallout over her support for Palestinians.
While promoting The Echo Chamber, directed by Andrea Pallaoro, she claimed that she had recently lost film opportunities because agencies were allegedly discouraging people from hiring her.
'I've still had movies taken away recently because there are agencies that are telling people not to hire me still,' Sarandon said. 'But that's the power structure. I think among people, certainly internationally, I feel welcome.'
Sarandon did not name the agencies she was referring to, and Reuters reported that her claims about specific roles being withdrawn had not been independently substantiated. Her comments were her account of the situation rather than independently established evidence of a wider industry ban.
Her latest arrest does, however, put those comments back into the spotlight. It also adds a new, independently reported event to the record of her continued political activism.
Why Sarandon Was Arrested
Footage from the demonstration showed Sarandon among protesters sitting and chanting outside the UN. Reuters reported that participants wore white T-shirts carrying messages including 'Fund people not bombs', 'No war' and 'Free Palestine'.
After police issued orders to leave, protesters who remained in the road were removed individually. Reuters confirmed that Sarandon was among those arrested.
The protest took place as Netanyahu prepared to address the General Assembly. His speech focused on defending Israel's military actions and responding to criticism of his government, according to Reuters.
Hannah Einbinder Also Arrested
Sarandon was not the only entertainment figure arrested. Einbinder, known for her role in HBO's Hacks, was also taken into custody.
Her involvement follows earlier public statements about the Israel-Palestinian conflict. After winning the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in September 2025, Einbinder ended her acceptance speech with a call to 'free Palestine'. She later said she felt an obligation, as a Jewish person, to distinguish Jewish people from the State of Israel.
Other entertainment figures attended the demonstration, including Sarah Sherman, Cynthia Nixon, Elliot Page and Indya Moore. The National reported that Nixon and Page were not detained.
From UTA Fallout to New York Arrest
The latest incident also revives an earlier chapter in Sarandon's career. In November 2023, United Talent Agency dropped her as a client following comments she made at a pro-Palestinian rally in New York. The agency confirmed that Sarandon was no longer a client.
In December, she apologised for the wording of her remarks, calling the phrasing a 'terrible mistake' and acknowledging the long history of antisemitism and persecution faced by Jewish people.
That documented 2023 agency decision is separate from Sarandon's more recent claims about losing film roles, which have not been independently substantiated.
Her arrest on 24 September now provides a fresh, independently reported development. Coming weeks after her Venice comments, the incident has again placed Sarandon's activism, her relationship with the entertainment industry and the consequences she says she has faced under public scrutiny.
