Shafer, who plays Jules in HBO’s gritty teen drama, was among the dozens of people taken into custody following the demonstration, which stemmed from Israel’s war in Gaza following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.
“Jewish Voice for Peace can confirm that Hunter Schafer attended the Jewish Voice Peace disruption inside the 30 Rock lobby, held while President Biden was in the building for his interview with Seth Meyers on Monday afternoon,” a spokesperson for Jewish Voice for Peace, the progressive group that organized the rally, said Wednesday in a statement to The Times.
“Hunter was arrested at the protest, along with 50 other people,” the spokesperson said. “We commend her commitment to Palestinian freedom and to a future of justice for everyone.”
The 25-year-old actor, who recently starred in “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” was photographed holding large banners inside the plaza lobby during the protest and was also pictured being escorted away by police. The images were posted on JVP New York’s Instagram account.
The New York Police Department confirmed Wednesday to The Times that a “total of 30 individuals were taken into custody” during the Monday demonstration, which concluded around 6 p.m.
“30 individuals were issued 2 summonses for Trespass and Disorderly Conduct,” a spokesperson for the department said. They did not provide identifying information for Schafer.
A representative for Schafer did not immediately respond Wednesday to The Times’ request for comment.
“Hundreds of anti-Zionist Jews and allies just took over NBC’s famed 30 Rockefeller Center headquarters in NYC to disrupt President Biden’s appearance on @LateNightSeth. Biden’s deadly foreign policy has funded and fueled genocide in Gaza. 50 protesters were arrested by the NYPD and Secret Service,” Jewish Voice for Peace wrote on Instagram.
“The President needs to start listening to the American people – not the far-Right Israeli government indiscriminately bombing the people of Gaza, destroying 70% of infrastructure, including hospitals, universities and the electricity and water grids.#CeasefireNow #LetGazaLive #NotInOurName,” the post said.
Hundreds of protesters filled the TV studio’s lobby, where Biden was set to appear Monday, wearing black shirts that read “Not in Our Name” as the president’s motorcade pulled into Midtown Manhattan, JVP said. Protesters chanted “let Gaza live” and unfurled banners that read “Never Again for Anyone” inside the gilded lobby.
Biden, whose U.S. representatives in the United Nations vetoed a humanitarian cease-fire resolution last week, discussed the next steps with Israel and the upcoming election during his appearance on “Late Night.” (He also quipped that a potential endorsement from influential superstar Taylor Swift was “classified.”)
Meyers specifically asked the leader about the people of Gaza and the “horrific images” coming out of the region as Palestinians seek refuge in Rafah.
“There is a path forward with difficulty,” Biden said. “First of all, the [Israeli] hostages being held must be released. And we’ve got — at least in principle — an agreement there will be a cease-fire while that takes place.”
He also said that he is working on “a process to get to a two-state solution” that would “guarantee Israel’s security and the independence of the Palestinians.”
“There are too many innocent people that are being killed and Israel has slowed down the attacks in Rafah and they’ve made a commitment to me, they’re going to see to it that there’s ability to evacuate significant portions of Rafah before they go and take out the remainder of Hamas,” he said.
According to the Associated Press, Israel and Hamas on Tuesday played down chances of an imminent breakthrough in talks for a cease-fire in Gaza.