Ben Jerry's co-founder taken into custody following demonstration at United States Capitol in support of Gaza
Famous Ice Cream Co-Founder Arrested at Senate Hearing Over Gaza Protest
Ben Cohen, the outspoken co-founder of Ben & Jerry's, was arrested during a Senate hearing after protesting the U.S.'s support for Israel's actions in Gaza. On May 14, 2025, Cohen attended a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing, which was disrupted by a pro-Gaza protest.
The commotion started as Robert F Kennedy Jr spoke. Someone shouted, "RFK kills people with AIDs!" and follow-up chants included, "When Bobby lies, children die," and "Anti-vax, anti-science, anti-America," in reference to Kennedy's vaccine views. Police quickly intervened, arresting protesters and dragging them out of the room.
Following his arrest, Cohen accused the U.S. government of playing a role in the deaths of children in Gaza by funding the purchase of bombs and cutting Medicaid for children in the United States. A video of the incident shows Cohen gesturing angrily and shouting at the U.S. health secretary.
While being removed from the room, Cohen could still be heard shouting, "Congress and the senators need to ease the siege. They need to let food into Gaza. They need to let food to starving kids." According to NBC News, the other six protesters were charged with resisting arrest and assault on an officer.
Prior to the hearing, Cohen attended a pro-Palestine event with Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib. After the event, Cohen tweeted a video of the incident, saying, "I told Congress they're killing poor kids in Gaza by buying bombs, and they're paying for it by kicking poor kids off Medicaid in the U.S. This was the authorities' response."
Israel has been engaged in conflict with Hamas, which has resulted in the deaths of over 53,000 Palestinians, many of them women and children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry reports[1][2]. The real death toll in Gaza is likely higher, as thousands of bodies remain buried under the rubble or in areas inaccessible to medics[2]. The Israeli military has claimed to have killed 17,000 militants, although evidence supporting this claim is not provided.
[1] [Source]
[2] [Source]
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- The war between Israel and Hamas, as well as the politics surrounding their conflict, were highlighted during a Senate hearing when Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's, was arrested for protesting the U.S.'s support for Israel's actions in Gaza.
- Amidst the on-going general-news headlines, Hamas announced direct peace talks with the U.S., urging President Trump to apply pressure on Israel, emphasizing the continued importance of Middle East politics and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
