A likely congresswoman was arrested Thursday at an anti-Israel protest in New York City after saying she would refuse police orders to disperse.
Darializa Avila Chevalier, a socialist ally of Mayor Zohran Mamdani who is expected to be in Congress come January, was protesting the speech at the United Nations General Assembly by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom she called a “war criminal.”
“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,” Ms. Avila Chevalier told City & State New York in a statement after the 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.”
The arrest might be a badge of honor for her.
“If the police call us to disperse, I will not be leaving, which will likely mean that I will be arrested today,” she told PIX11 News at the protest, proceeding to criticize the U.S. government for not arresting Mr. Netanyahu in keeping with an International Criminal Court warrant for his arrest.
The U.S. does not recognize the legitimacy of the ICC.
Ms. Avila Chevalier, who defeated long-time Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat and is almost certain to win in November in her deep-blue district, calls for cutting off military aid to Israel.
She was not the only prominent Democrat brought into custody. City Council members Alexa Aviles and Chi Osse were also arrested.
Ms. Avila Chevalier is one of three hard-left House nominees who won their New York City primaries with the mayor’s endorsement in June.
Brad Lander and Claire Valdez are also all but guaranteed seats in Congress after winning the nomination in heavily Democratic districts.
Mr. Mamdani had said in his campaign that he would arrest Mr. Netanyahu if elected mayor, but recently acknowledged that New York City has no authority to act on an ICC warrant.
He did not take part in anti-Netanyahu demonstrations on Thursday.
The Israeli prime minister had harsh words of his own for New York City’s Democrats in his speech, accusing Mr. Mamdani of “distorting the facts” in the Hamas War and making Jews feel unsafe in New York City.
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