Susan Sarandon issued an apology on Instagram late Friday for comments she made about Jewish people on Nov. 17 at a cease-fire rally. Sarandon said that she “deeply” regrets “hurting people” and will “continue my commitment to peace, truth, justice, and compassion for all people.”
The actress was at the New York rally in mid-November when she was invited to speak to the crowd. Sarandon, who has been outspoken about her pro-Palestinian stance on social media, said that “there are a lot of people that are afraid, that are afraid of being Jewish at this time, and are getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country.”
She was dropped from United Talent Agency days afterward.
Her apology reads in full: “Recently, I attended a rally alongside a diverse group of activists seeking to highlight the urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza and call for a cease-fire. I had not planned to speak but was invited to take the stage and say a few words.
“Intending to communicate my concern for an increase in hate crimes, I said that Jewish Americans, as the targets of rising antisemitic hate, ‘are getting a taste of what it is like to be Muslim in this country, so often subjected to violence.’ This phrasing was a terrible mistake, as it implies that until recently Jews have been strangers to persecution, when the opposite is true,” she added.
“As we all know, from centuries of oppression and genocide in Europe, to the Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh, PA, Jews have long been familiar with discrimination and religious violence which continues to this day,” Sarandon continued. “I deeply regret diminishing this reality and hurting people with this comment. It was my intent to show solidarity in the struggle against bigotry of all kinds, and I am sorry I failed to do so.”
Sarandon concluded, “I will continue my commitment to peace, truth, justice and compassion for all people. I hope that we can meet with love and willingness to engage in dialogue, especially with those with whom we disagree.”
There has been a spike in antisemitic and Islamophobic attacks in the United States since the Hamas attacks in Israel on Oct. 7. The Council on American-Islamic Relations has documented more than 700 complaints, the highest level in eight years.
Similarly, the Anti-Defamation League has reported a 388% increase in antisemitic attacks over the same period in 2022, 190 of which were directly linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
