Ben Cohen, co-founder of the ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s, was detained on Wednesday during a protest in the US Senate.The demonstration was focused on military aid to Israel and humanitarian concerns in Gaza, disrupting a hearing where US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr was giving testimony.Cohen was one of several activists taken into custody by Capitol Police. In a post on X the next day, he explained why he took part in the protest: “I can’t call myself an American and not put my body on the line.” He added, “For me, our government-funded destruction and slaughter of families living in Gaza is an attack on justice, common decency, and what I had thought was the American way — the American way that Superman used to defend, along with Truth and Justice.”Cohen was charged with a misdemeanour offence commonly used in civil disobedience cases involving crowding, obstructing or incommoding. A spokesperson for Capitol Police confirmed that six other demonstrators were also arrested and are facing more serious charges, including assaulting an officer and resisting arrest.A video shared on social media showed Cohen being escorted out of the building with 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.”Cohen and his brand have a history of taking political stances. Since its founding in 1978, Ben & Jerry’s has supported causes ranging from LGBTQ+ rights to climate change action. Feud with UnileverIn 2000, Ben & Jerry’s was sold to consumer goods giant Unilever, though an independent board was set up to maintain the brand’s social mission.However, the relationship between Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever has become strained in recent years. In 2021, the ice cream company announced it would stop selling products in the West Bank, a decision that led to legal battles between the two sides. The conflict deepened in March this year, when Ben & Jerry’s filed a lawsuit claiming Unilever had sacked CEO David Stever over political disagreements.A Unilever spokesperson, responding to Cohen’s latest arrest, said the company is not responsible for his actions and told the BBC: “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.”
