Ben & Jerry's Co-Founder Ben Cohen arrested during Senate protest over Gaza

Ben Cohen, co-founder of the ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's, was arrested on Wednesday (14 May) during a protest inside the US Senate over American military aid to Israel and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The protest erupted during a Senate hearing where Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr was testifying.

US Capitol Police confirmed to BBC that Cohen was charged with a misdemeanour for crowding, obstructing, or incommoding—a common charge used in civil disobedience cases in Washington, DC.

A widely circulated video on social media shows Cohen being escorted out of the building by police officers, his hands tied behind his back. When asked why he was being arrested, Cohen responded, "Congress kills poor kids in Gaza by buying bombs, and pays for it by kicking kids off Medicaid in the US."

In addition to Cohen, six other demonstrators were arrested at the scene. Some of them face more serious charges, including assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest, according to Capitol Police.

Ben & Jerry's, founded in 1978 by Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, has long been known for its outspoken stance on social and political issues such as LGBTQ+ rights, climate change, and racial justice. In 2000, the company was acquired by multinational consumer goods giant Unilever, but a unique merger agreement ensured the formation of an independent board to uphold the brand's core values and mission.

However, relations between Ben & Jerry's and Unilever have grown increasingly strained, particularly after the brand halted ice cream sales in the Israeli-occupied West Bank in 2021. The move sparked backlash and eventually led to an ongoing legal battle between the two parties.

In March, Ben & Jerry's filed a lawsuit accusing Unilever of wrongfully terminating CEO David Stever over internal disputes regarding the company's political activism. Unilever responded, stating it was "disappointed" that details of a private personnel matter had been made public.

Reacting to Cohen's arrest, a Unilever spokesperson clarified: "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."

The protest and arrest come amid heightened global attention on the situation in Gaza, where Ben & Jerry's has been vocal in calling for an immediate ceasefire.