Executive Director Sunita Viswanath Arrested Amidst Protest for Gaza
On June 11th, 2025, roughly 200 protestors occupied the lobby of Maersk’s Manhattan headquarters in an action demanding an end to the ongoing violence and brutality taking place in Gaza.
Maersk, a multi-national, multi-billion dollar shipping and supply chain management company, plays a critical role in supplying F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel. A report by the Palestinian Youth Movement found that Maersk has been responsible for shipping wings for every F-35 fighter jet since at least March 2022. These very fighter jets are the very ones that go onto commit Israel’s countless crimes against humanity across Gaza, from bombing schools, hospitals, civilian homes, refugee camps, and more; flattening out entire communities and disappearing entire bloodlines.
Activists — organized by Jewish Voice for Peace and the Palestinian Youth Movement — decided no more, occupying the inconspicuous Midtown East office at approximately 11 am, shedding their jackets to reveal black t-shirts sporting phrases such as “Hands Off Gaza”, “End the Siege”, and “Stop Starving Gaza”. To accompany this brave act of civil disobedience, activists arranged themselves in a circle, chanting and clapping while revealing a sign in the middle of them that read “Maersk Arms Embargo Now”.
Shortly after noon, NYPD arrived, arresting protestors. They were especially rough with the activists, zip-tying their wrists so tightly to the point where it left bruising and caused severe pain. Our Executive Director, Sunita Viswanath, and her husband were two of several arrested. In total, organizers estimate that about 70 protestors were arrested.
Our Executive Director, Sunita Viswanath, is one of several arrested for protesting Maersk’s participation in the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Others arrested including Jane Hirschmann, a 79 year old grandmother and daughter of Holocaust survivors. Jane has been advocating for the rights of Palestinians for more than a decade.
“The Holocaust was not televised, but this is being televised every single day. Every day we see how many babies are killed, how many children are dismembered.… People have to rise up, and we have to say, ‘No more. This can’t happen.’”