NYC police detain dozens for protesting US arms sales to Israel, war
Protesters are arrested by police during a demonstration and sit-in on Third Avenue in New York City, U.S., April 13, 2026. (AFP Photo)


Police detained dozens of protesters in New York City Monday during demonstrations demanding a halt to U.S. arms sales and military support to Israel.

Demonstrators included the anti-war group Jewish Voice for Peace, which said around 90 people were detained. Among ​those detained was whistleblower Chelsea Manning, ​a former ⁠U.S. Army soldier and WikiLeaks source.

The New York City Police Department said there were "multiple" arrests but did not provide a number.

Clips from the protests showed a crowd gathering near the offices of U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and his Democratic colleague, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.

Protesters chanted slogans like "stop the bombs," "end the killings," and "free Palestine" while expressing opposition to the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, Israel's attacks ⁠in ⁠Lebanon and Israel's assault on Gaza.

The protesters also chanted "let Gaza live," "let Iran live" and "let Lebanon live."

The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28. Iran responded with its own strikes on Israel and Gulf states that host U.S. bases. U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed thousands and displaced millions.

President Donald ⁠Trump's administration has cracked down on protests by attempting to deport foreign students, threatening to freeze funding for universities where protests were held ​and ordering the screening of immigrants' online comments. The crackdown has faced judicial ​obstacles.

New York City was at the heart of pro-Palestinian protests in 2024.

U.S. military support for Israel ⁠has ‌faced particular scrutiny ‌from rights groups during Israel's genocidal war ⁠on Gaza that killed over 72,000 people, caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced Gaza's entire population and led ​to assessments of genocide from ⁠scholars and a U.N. inquiry.

The war was triggered by the Oct. 7 Hamas incursion into southern Israel that caused 1,200 deaths and took ​more than 250 hostages.