Former Toledo city council member Mike Ferner, 74, doused the U.S. Mission to the UN with a can of cow’s blood to condemn Israel and U.S. foreign policy, but New Yorkers largely ignored the spectacle.
At a Glance
- Ferner hurled cow’s blood onto UN mission windows in NYC’s East Village.
- He was charged with criminal tampering, unlawful noxious substance possession, and disorderly conduct.
- The stunt wrapped up his 40‑day fast in solidarity with Gaza.
- Despite the dramatic gesture, pedestrians remained indifferent.
- Ferner plans to continue his protest-tinged visits around the city.
Blood, Arrest, and Indifference
In a dramatic midday act, Ferner smashed a frozen Coke bottle of cow’s blood, transferred the contents into a paint can, and hurled it at the windows of the U.S. Mission to the UN, shouting, “Here, United States, have some blood.” As reported by the New York Post, onlookers appeared mostly unfazed.
He was immediately arrested and charged with multiple misdemeanors, including criminal tampering and possession of a noxious substance. Ferner compared his overnight detention to Guantánamo and Abu Ghraib before being released on his own recognizance in Manhattan Criminal Court.
Watch a video: Mike Ferner Throws Blood at U.S. Mission to UN
Political Symbolism Over Sensation
A Vietnam-era Navy medic and longtime member of Veterans for Peace, Ferner said the act was the culmination of a “40-Day Fast for Gaza,” intended to draw attention to U.S. complicity in Palestinian suffering. He admitted previous stunts had included harmless substitutes like cherry juice but said this time “it had to be real.”
While the act may have shocked security personnel, Ferner acknowledged that most pedestrians gave little more than a glance—one reportedly commenting, “Oh, that’s interesting,” before continuing on.
Aftermath and Next Moves
Post-release, Ferner told the New York Post he would spend the rest of the week “getting coffee, riding ferries, and maybe handing out some leaflets.” He said the protest wasn’t about spectacle but “bearing witness to the blood on America’s hands.”
With misdemeanor charges still pending, Ferner’s stunt may fade as a brief viral moment—or linger as an unsettling symbol of protest politics in a jaded metropolis.
