Susan Sarandon, actor and activist, was arrested Monday at the New York State Capitol in Albany while protesting for raising the minimum wage for tipped restaurant workers.
The 76-year-old actress was one of eight activists who were arrested by state police for disorderly conduct, the New York State Police Department told the Post. They were processed, issued appearance tickets, then released.
Sarandon is the president of the organization One Fair Wage, which argues that the minimum wage increase that does not include tipped service workers, impacts women and single mothers of color disproportionately.
The coalition includes “all workers for whom tips are considered wage replacement,” including restaurant workers, nail salon technicians, hairdressers, massage therapists and more, according to the website.
Legislators passed the 2023-2024 $229 billion spending plan last week, preparing to increase the minimum hourly wage to $17.
The New York State Police told the Post that the members protesting were sitting and blocking walking traffic and were asked multiple times to move to a safer location. The eight individuals refused to move and requested to be arrested.
Susan Sarandon is also known for her social and political activism, Sarandon was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1999 and received the Action Against Hunger Humanitarian Award in 2006. In 2022, she joined as an ambassador to the HALO Trust, the largest humanitarian mine clearance organization.
