More than 100 arrested as New Yorkers protest Netanyahu’s UN visit

Multiple protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took place in New York as he addressed the United Nations General Assembly , with more than 100 people arrested as demonstrators demanded accountability over Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and an end to United States military support.

“I’m born and raised in New York City, and it’s a total disrespect for Benjamin Netanyahu to be here,” Jose, a protest attendee who only gave his first name, told Al Jazeera. “He’s a war criminal, and we don’t tolerate that.”

More than 400 people, including celebrities, organisers and politicians, joined an action near the UN earlier on Thursday, according to Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP). The sit-in blocked part of First Avenue ahead of Netanyahu’s UNGA address. The protest was led by JVP and NYC-Democratic Socialists of America.

“ What we’re seeing this week is that Trump and Netanyahu are using the United Nations General Assembly as a bully pulpit to espouse their vision of the world, which is one ruled by brute force, by war crimes with impunity,” Nas Issa, a member of the Palestinian Youth Movement and activist at the JVP demonstration, told Al Jazeera.

Protesters sought to draw attention to New York’s own role in US support for Israel. A day earlier, NYC-DSA held a news conference at John F Kennedy international airport calling for an immediate halt to military and explosive cargo shipments through the airport and for greater transparency over previous shipments of military aid to Israel.

Police ordered demonstrators on Thursday to clear the road before making arrests. The New York Police Department told Al Jazeera that 103 people were arrested for disorderly conduct, and all had been released.

Organisers said nine of those people were elected officials and candidates for office.

Darializa Avila Chevalier, the Democratic nominee for New York’s 13th congressional district, was among those detained.