Ben Cohen Arrested at Senate Hearing Over Gaza Protest: A Legacy of Activism and Defiance

Ice Cream Mogul Turned Outspoken Activist

Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, was arrested on May 14 during a U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing, protesting the American government’s military aid to Israel and the blockade of humanitarian relief to Gaza. The 74-year-old social justice advocate was among seven protesters detained by Capitol Police for “crowding, obstructing, or incommoding” during the session where Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified.

A video shared by Cohen shows officers forcefully escorting him out as he shouted that Congress kills poor kids in Gaza by buying bombs and funds it by kicking children. Later, in a post on social media platform X, Cohen wrote, “I can’t call myself an American and not put my body on the line… this is an attack on justice, common decency, and what I had thought was the American way.”

Cohen also called for the urgent entry of food into Gaza, which has faced a complete blockade of humanitarian aid by Israel since early March. “They need to let food to starving kids,” he insisted as officers restrained him.

Standing Up for Justice: A Legacy of Resistance

This was not Cohen’s first brush with the law in the name of activism. Over the past decade, he’s been arrested multiple times — in 2016 during Democracy Awakening protests, in 2018 for opposing military jets at a Vermont airport, and in 2022 while demanding the release of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. In each case, Cohen has aligned himself with movements seeking government accountability, peace, and human rights.

Cohen’s protests are not mere publicity stunts. They stem from decades of unwavering commitment to social causes, often carried out through and beyond the ice cream company he co-founded with Jerry Greenfield in 1978.

From Ice Cream to Advocacy

Cohen and Greenfield started Ben & Jerry’s in Vermont after attending a $5 ice cream course at Penn State. While their chunky flavors drew initial attention, it was their progressive values that set them apart. From the 1980s onward, Ben & Jerry’s championed environmental protection, racial justice, and peace initiatives. The company created the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation in 1985, reporting annually on social responsibility metrics like supplier ethics and environmental sustainability.

Even after selling Ben & Jerry’s to Unilever in 2000, Cohen and Greenfield retained influence through an independent board mandated to uphold the company’s social mission. But that balance has faced strain, especially in recent years.

Palestine: The Cause Inspiring Global Awareness

Cohen’s most controversial stand has come in support of Palestinian rights. As early as 1998, Ben & Jerry’s ceased sourcing from companies in the occupied Golan Heights. In 2021, the company announced it would halt ice cream sales in West Bank settlements and East Jerusalem, citing a conflict with its core values. The move drew backlash from Israeli officials and pro-Israel organizations, and several U.S. states threatened financial penalties against Unilever.

Despite Cohen’s firm Jewish identity —

“I’m a Jew. All my family is Jewish,” he told Axios

— he remains critical of Israeli policy, distinguishing between opposition to government actions and antisemitism. “We hugely support Israel’s right to exist,” he clarified. “But we are against a particular policy.”

The situation escalated in 2022 when Unilever, facing political pressure, sold Ben & Jerry’s Israeli operations to a local licensee, overriding the independent board’s stance. The resulting legal battle ended with Unilever retaining sales rights in Israeli-occupied areas, a move that sparked a fresh round of tensions.

In November 2024, Ben & Jerry’s sued Unilever for allegedly preventing the company from publicly calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, halting U.S. military aid to Israel, and supporting Palestinian refugees. After removing CEO David Stever, Ben & Jerry’s amended its lawsuit to include allegations of retaliation for advocacy.

Speaking Truth to Power

Even as his company battles corporate censorship, Cohen continues his individual activism. Earlier this month, he appeared on Tucker Carlson’s show, touching on broader moral themes, declaring, “I love Jesus” to emphasize his belief in the core ethics of various religions, despite not being religious himself.

This week, his arrest reaffirmed his stance: “For me, our government-funded destruction and slaughter of families living in Gaza is an attack on justice,” Cohen said. “This is not the American way.”

Corporate Silence Amid Outcry

Although the incident has drawn significant attention, Ben & Jerry’s has yet to release a public statement regarding Cohen’s recent arrest. The company has historically supported causes that align with Cohen’s values, but its capacity to do so has weakened since Unilever took ownership.

As Cohen left the Senate chambers in zip ties, he maintained composure and conviction — echoing the activism that has defined both his life and the legacy of Ben & Jerry’s.

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