Ben Cohen, known as the co-founder of Ben & Jerry's, was taken into custody on Wednesday after participating in a protest that disrupted a US Senate hearing.
The protest focused on the US government's military aid to Israel and the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, BBC said.
At 74, Cohen took part in a group protest that disrupted a Senate Health Committee meeting, drawing attention to their cause during the session.
During the session, the Health and Human Services Secretary provided an overview of the planned budget for the upcoming term.
Protesters stood up during the session, held signs, and shouted messages calling for an end to US support for Israel's military campaign in Gaza.
Capitol Police arrested Cohen and six other protesters. Cohen was charged with a misdemeanor offense—crowding, obstructing, or incommoding—a common charge in civil protests held in the nation's capital.
According to police, the other demonstrators faced more serious charges, including resisting arrest and assaulting officers.
Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, was arrested for protesting the killing
— Mathilda (@Mathilda_comet) May 15, 2025
of children in Gaza and confronting Congress.
He was removed during a U.S. Senate hearing.
Free speech or silenced dissent?
Israel | Palestine
US | West#Nakba2025#النکبة_مستعمرة pic.twitter.com/GIwyitY2RT
Video Shows Ben Cohen in Handcuffs at Capitol Protest
A video circulating on social media captured the moment Cohen was escorted out in handcuffs following the protest.
In the video, Cohen criticized US government spending, accusing Congress of funding military actions abroad at the expense of healthcare programs like Medicaid for children in the US.
According to NY Times, he also urged lawmakers to act fast to allow food aid into Gaza. "They need to let food to starving kids," he added.
Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield started Ben & Jerry's in 1978. The company became known not just for its ice cream but also for supporting causes like LGBTQ+ rights, climate action, and social justice.
In 2000, they sold the company to global brand Unilever, though an independent board was created to protect Ben & Jerry's values.
Over time, tensions grew between Ben & Jerry's and Unilever, especially after the ice cream brand announced in 2021 it would stop selling products in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The decision drew strong backlash and led to a legal dispute.
Last year, Ben & Jerry's sued Unilever, claiming the parent company had fired its CEO for supporting political campaigns and had tried to silence the brand's views on Palestinian rights.
A Unilever spokesperson clarified that Cohen's protest was a personal action: "Ben Cohen takes stances as an activist citizen on issues he finds personally important. These actions are on his own as an individual and not on behalf of Ben & Jerry's or Unilever."
Ben Cohen has since been released from police custody.
Originally published on vcpost.com
