More than 100 rabbis gathered in New York, to block the car of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who was enroute to give his speech at the UN.

Police arrested the protestors, who were given a ticket for disorderly conduct.

The rabbis, mainly from New York and New Jersey, once they were released from custody, then joined the Iranian protest outside the UN building against Mr Ahmadinejad's visit.

Rabbi Yerachmiel Shapiro of Congregation Beth Shalom in Red Bank, who was one of the rabbis arrested said: "The message I'm hoping it sends is shame on the Unitied Nations for welcoming proven murders and terrorists, like Ahmadinejad and Gadhafi, who spoke and were given a platform.

"I hope the world will see the irony of rabbis being arrested, while dictators are applauded."