WASHINGTON (TNND) — New York congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier was arrested while protesting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s United Nations speech on Thursday, according to reports.
Chevalier defeated Democratic New York Rep. Adiriano Espaillat in the primary election earlier this year and will likely win the general election in November.
About 250 protesters were protesting outside the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan. Other celebrities and candidates were there protesting, according to The Hill newspaper.
“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,” Avila Chevalier said regarding her arrest. “I refuse to play host to a man who has overseen the slaughter or injury of more than 64,000 children in Gaza with American taxpayer dollars.”
Comedian Caleb Hearon was also detained by the New York Police Department, The Guardian reports.
New York City Council Member Chi Ossé was also taken into custody alongside Chevalier. He said she was sick of tax dollars funding the genocide in Gaza.
As of now New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has not weighed in on the arrest of Chevalier who he endorsed.