Susan Sarandon was arrested at the New York State Capitol in Albany while protesting for fair wages for restaurant employees.
The 76-year-old actress and seven others were apprehended Monday by state police for disorderly conduct, according to the New York Post, which reported that the group were processed, issued appearance tickets, then released.
Sarandon and the others were calling for legislation to increase New York minimum wage for all restaurant workers who rely on tips.
A spending bill was passed this year that raises the minimum wage to $17 per hour. However, as the Los Angeles Times noted, employers are allowed to pay tipped workers below the state’s minimum wage under current law.
Sarandon is the president of the organization One Fair Wage, which advocates for better wages for all employees in the service industry.
Speaking at the rally prior to her arrest, Sarandon declared her support for the workers.
"They are very, very important and need to be treated with dignity, not only for the back-breaking labor that they do, but what they have to do to communicate and understand and be patient and all the things that are linked to a successful business," she said, according to the Post.
In a statement, New York State Police said that Sarandon and the other protesters were "sitting and obstructing walking traffic through the area."
"They were instructed multiple times to move to a safer location, but eight of the group’s members refused and requested to be arrested," the statement continued.
"Those eight individuals were arrested, each for one count of Disorderly Conduct which is a violation-level offense. All have been processed and released with appearance tickets returnable to the Albany City Court on a later date. The names will not be released due to the level of offense."
Spectrum News 1 Albany reporter Kate Lisa took to Twitter with video and photos of the demonstration, which showed Sarandon and others trying to spread a pink banner across the concourse.
She noted that the group had been "trying their hardest to get arrested."
"Police left activists alone for several minutes," she added in her Twitter thread. "Several were confused why they weren’t getting arrested."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.