A Democratic congressional candidate was among at least 30 people arrested during a protest outside the United Nations in New York as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared to address the General Assembly.
Darializa Avila Chevalier, the Democratic nominee for New York’s 13th Congressional District, was detained after demonstrators blocked a road close to the UN headquarters on Thursday.
The protest was organised by Jewish Voice for Peace and other progressive groups. New York City Council member Chi Ossé, Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon and whistleblower Chelsea Manning were also detained.
Police moved in after demonstrators staged a sit-in at the junction of First Avenue and East 39th Street. About 250 people took part in the action, including elected officials and political candidates.
Chevalier described her arrest as an act of political resistance against US funding for Israel. “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,” she said.
She added: “I refuse to play host to a man who has overseen the slaughter or injury of more than 64,000 children with American taxpayer dollars. That is why I was arrested today outside of the United Nations alongside hundreds of my fellow New Yorkers.”
Chevalier accused Netanyahu and the Israeli government of responsibility for conditions in Gaza and condemned American military support for Israel. She also criticised the US for what she described as “shielding Netanyahu from persecution”.
The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity connected to the Gaza conflict. Netanyahu and Israeli officials have rejected allegations of genocide, saying Israel’s military campaign is aimed at Hamas.
The demonstration took place as Netanyahu defended Israel’s conduct before world leaders. Protesters chanted against the war and called for an end to US support for Israel, arguing that American taxpayers bore responsibility because their money supports Israel.
The dispute has also brought renewed attention to the question of whether American officials could enforce the ICC warrant. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has previously said he would seek to arrest Netanyahu if legally empowered to do so, while President Donald Trump has said Netanyahu would not be arrested on US soil.
Chevalier’s challenge to the Democratic establishment
Chevalier, a self-described Democratic Socialist and longtime pro-Palestinian activist, defeated five-term incumbent Adriano Espaillat in June’s Democratic primary for the heavily Democratic 13th District.
Her campaign has focused on opposition to US military intervention and redirecting government spending towards housing, healthcare and other domestic priorities. She has presented herself as a community organiser with more than a decade of activism in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx.
Her campaign has already unsettled parts of the Democratic establishment. Previously deleted social media posts included remarks about interracial relationships, support for abolishing the border and a joke about wiping dirty hands on the American flag.
The arrest has added a fresh dimension to a campaign that has become part of the wider ideological struggle between the Democratic Party’s progressive left and its more established wing.
“Our enemy is a system where billionaires get rich from stoking hatred and war while our own communities go without,” Chevalier said.
