From ice cream to activism: Ben Cohen arrested after pro-Gaza protest at Senate

Ben Cohen, co-founder of iconic ice cream firm Ben & Jerry's, was physically escorted out of a US Senate hearing and allegedly arrested after he expressed his outrage over the violence in Gaza.

The 73-year-old businessman and liberal activist interrupted proceedings to raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis, condemning what he referred to as a "genocidal assault" and urging US policymakers to end support for Israel's military operations.

The removal of Cohen, a Jewish man, sparked widespread attention – both for the content of his protest and his established reputation as a corporate executive devoted to social justice and human rights for decades.

A legacy of activism

Ben Cohen co-founded Ben & Jerry's with Jerry Greenfield in 1978 in Vermont. From the beginning, the company set itself apart by integrating activism into its corporate culture, discussing topics ranging from racial justice and gay rights to environmental conservation.

Being one of the first companies to pursue a social mission in addition to profit, the company has often taken controversial stances on contentious issues.

Political and legal activism

Cohen has also been a prominent figure in US progressive politics.

He was an early, outspoken supporter of Senator Bernie Sanders, even creating the "Bernie's Yearning" ice cream flavour to raise awareness about economic inequality.

In 2020, he served as a national co-chair for Sanders's presidential campaign.

He has also been interested in police reform and accountability. In 2021, Cohen co-founded the bipartisan Campaign to End Qualified Immunity, a campaign to abolish legal shields that prevent law enforcement officials from accountability in cases of bad behavior.

Justice-focused efforts

In 2023, Cohen launched Ben's Best Blnz (B3), a nonprofit firm formed to address the harms of the War on Drugs.

All of B3's revenue is donated to African American-owned cannabis businesses, their legal advocacy efforts, and criminal justice reform activism.

Committed to humanitarian values

Cohen's Senate protest was an extension of his broader activism against what he perceives as the abuse of American resources and being complicit in global abuses.

"It is unethical that our government is spending money on violence abroad when people here in the nation lack basics," he was quoted as saying during the demonstration.

The incident has again pushed into the spotlight controversies over business leaders' involvement in politics and human rights activism.

For Cohen, however, such participation is not new—it is a natural continuation of the ideals that have guided his life and working career for decades.