Darializa Avila Chevalier was detained during a protest in New York City on Thursday against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is addressing the U.N. General Assembly.
Avila Chevalier, a socialist who is all but certain to be a member of Congress next year, was detained alongside New York City Councilman Chi Osse and comedian Caleb Heron, according to local news site PIX11 News. It is unclear whether Avila Chevalier or the other protesters will face charges; however, the local outlet reported that the congressional nominee committed to not dispersing if directed by police.
The protest was organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, which describes itself as “Jews for Palestinian liberation & Judaism beyond Zionism.” A video posted on X by the organization features protesters chanting, “End the killing, fight like hell for the living, stop the bombs.”
In a statement shared with City & State, Avila Chevalier said she refused to “allow a war criminal to roam the streets of our city unchallenged.”
“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,” she said, according to the outlet.
The Washington Examiner has reached out to her campaign for comment.
Avila Chevalier has been vocally opposed to Israel and Netanyahu, and touted her involvement in Columbia University’s pro-Palestinian encampment in 2024. She defeated Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) in the Democratic primary, riding the progressive wave that installed Zohran Mamdani as New York City’s mayor in the primary race and used the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s support of Espaillat as a cudgel in the race.
Mamdani did not attend the protest, despite calling for Netanyahu to be arrested because of the International Criminal Court warrant against him, but shared a video on X that featured him planting an olive tree and eating dinner with families from Gaza.
“May peace be our future,” Mamdani wrote in the post.
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Upon taking the stage at his U.N. address, dozens of delegates left the assembly hall in protest, according to the New York Times.
“If there are any other moral cowards who haven’t yet left this hall, please do so now,” Netanyahu said in response, also calling the protest “mind-blowing hypocrisy.”