"🚨 POLICE ARREST: 'SQUAD' DEMOCRAT HANDCUFFED IN A SHOCKING PROTEST AGAINST NETANYAHU!"
A New York Democrat was arrested Thursday during a protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside the United Nations.
Darializa Avila Chevalier was charged with disorderly conduct outside United Nations headquarters in Manhattan, according to police cited by Bloomberg.
Avila Chevalier defeated five-term Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat in June’s primary for New York’s 13th Congressional District.
The district includes parts of Harlem and the Bronx and strongly favors Democrats in the general election.
Her victory removed the chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and handed Mayor Zohran Mamdani another political win.
Mamdani endorsed Avila Chevalier, who campaigned against continued American support for Israel during its war against Hamas.
The protest unfolded as Netanyahu addressed the U.N. General Assembly and defended Israel against accusations over its Gaza campaign.
Jewish Voice for Peace organized a demonstration outside the building that drew about 200 participants, according to Reuters.
Wearing matching white shirts, protesters carried messages including “Fund people not bombs” and “Free Palestine.”
Some participants sat on First Avenue and blocked traffic while police ordered them to clear the roadway.
Several moved to the sidewalks, but others stayed seated as officers arrived and began making arrests.
Reuters initially reported at least 30 arrests, while CBS New York later cited police sources estimating about 100.
Avila Chevalier defended her participation and called Netanyahu a war criminal in a statement to City & State New York.
She said she would not allow him to walk through the city without facing public opposition.
The Democratic nominee also accused Israel of killing or injuring more than 64,000 children in Gaza.
That figure was her claim, and the reports reviewed for this article did not independently establish it.
“Netanyahu belongs at the Hague,” Avila Chevalier said in another statement after her arrest, according to Bloomberg.
New York City Council member Chi Ossé was arrested at the protest and denounced American financial support for Israel.
“I’m sick and tired of my taxpayer dollars going towards an active genocide,” Ossé told PIX11.
The demonstrations also drew entertainers, including actors Susan Sarandon and Hannah Einbinder, who police took into custody.
Police sources also identified whistleblower Chelsea Manning, comedian Caleb Hearon, and Assemblymember Emily Gallagher among those arrested, CBS reported.
Some protesters chanted against Netanyahu while police secured their hands with zip ties and escorted them to buses.
Supporters of Israel also gathered nearby, and CBS reported that confrontations between opposing groups sometimes escalated into fistfights.
Inside the General Assembly, dozens of delegations walked out as Netanyahu began speaking, while others applauded him.
Netanyahu sharply rejected allegations of genocide and criticized Mamdani during his address to the world body.
“Accusing Israel of genocide is the greatest lie of the century,” Netanyahu said, according to Bloomberg.
He also argued that Jewish residents no longer feel safe in New York under Mamdani’s leadership.
Mamdani has called Netanyahu a war criminal and previously suggested arresting him if he visited New York.
The mayor later acknowledged that city officials lack authority to execute an International Criminal Court arrest warrant.
That court issued a warrant in 2024 alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Gaza.
Israel disputes the allegations, and neither Israel nor the United States is a member of the court.
Israel says its military campaign targets Hamas after the terrorist group’s October 7, 2023, attack.
The attack killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in the kidnapping of 251 others, according to Israeli authorities.
Gaza health officials report tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths, with their overall tally combining civilians and fighters.
Avila Chevalier’s victory reflected that divide, as her campaign challenged Espaillat’s support for the longtime American ally, The Washington Post reported.
Mamdani-backed candidates Brad Lander and Claire Valdez also won New York congressional primaries in June.
"🚨 BRANSON'S SCATHING ATTACK! — HE BLASTS TRUMP OVER PUTIN TIES AND URGES EUROPE TO STAND FIRM!"
British billionaire Sir Richard Branson has launched a fierce public attack on Donald Trump, accusing the U.S. administration of appeasing dictators and putting personal preferences ahead of American and allied interests.
The Virgin Group founder made his criticism in a LinkedIn post published this week, questioning why Trump appeared so willing to accommodate Russian President Vladimir Putin while Ukraine continues to face Russia’s invasion.
Branson described the administration as an “appeaser to autocrats and dictators,” arguing that its approach could weaken confidence among America’s traditional allies and undermine the interests of democratic nations.
He also raised a pointed question about the president’s relationship with Putin, asking why Trump seemed to flatter the Russian leader despite the continuing war and widespread international concern over Moscow’s actions.
The remarks come amid renewed controversy over a reported agreement involving Russian diesel supplies and a temporary easing of U.S. sanctions on Russian energy exports.
Trump has defended the arrangement as beneficial to fuel markets, while critics argue that allowing Russian energy revenues to flow could indirectly help Moscow sustain its war effort.
Branson called the deal deeply hypocritical, pointing to the contrast between Washington’s previous willingness to penalize countries purchasing Russian energy and its own decision to ease restrictions.
His criticism extended beyond energy policy. He also condemned Trump’s public attacks on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, describing the administration’s treatment of Ukraine as a betrayal during a period of war and suffering.
The billionaire’s intervention follows mounting concern in Kyiv and across Europe about the durability of American support for Ukraine, particularly as diplomatic efforts have struggled to produce a lasting settlement.
Branson also expressed alarm about reports involving restrictions on Starshield services used by Ukraine, a technology issue that has raised questions about the country’s access to crucial battlefield communications.
Some of Branson’s claims about the consequences of satellite-service restrictions have not been independently confirmed, and the details of decisions involving military communications remain disputed.
He urged European leaders to respond more decisively, arguing that the continent cannot simply wait for Washington to determine the future of Ukraine’s security and its broader relationship with Russia.
His proposed response reportedly included considering the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine and supplying more advanced weapons, measures that would intensify the confrontation with Moscow.
The comments place Branson among a relatively small group of prominent business leaders willing to criticize Trump directly over foreign policy, despite the political and commercial sensitivities surrounding such interventions.
Branson has previously spoken out in support of Ukraine and criticized approaches that he believes would pressure Kyiv into accepting an unfavorable peace agreement with Russia.
The latest dispute also comes at a politically sensitive moment in the United States, with congressional midterm elections approaching and foreign policy increasingly intertwined with domestic debates over leadership and national priorities.
Supporters of Trump’s approach may argue that direct engagement with Moscow and energy-market flexibility can serve American interests, even when such policies provoke disagreement among allies.
Critics counter that concessions to Russia risk weakening deterrence and sending an unsettling message to countries relying on the United States for diplomatic, economic and military support.
The disagreement reflects a broader debate over whether negotiations and economic pragmatism can help end the war—or whether they could give Moscow additional leverage without securing meaningful concessions.
For Ukraine, the stakes remain immediate: continued military pressure, uncertainty over international support and the search for a settlement that preserves its sovereignty remain central concerns.
Branson’s intervention adds another prominent voice to the dispute, challenging the White House’s handling of Russia and demanding a stronger response from Europe as the conflict continues.
