UK report back

A national call went out for a phone in to two of the major supermarket chains, Morrisons and Sainsbury, asking individuals to call in to the complaints lines and complain about the supermarkets” continued sale of Israeli goods, including those grown on settlements.

A number of protests were organised either on the 9th, or in the week following the day of action. These included a protest at Sheffield outside Morrisons, two protests in London outside Tesco, and a protest at Manchester Morrisons store. In addition Sheffield activists held a city centre boycott march, held in partnership with the National Street Choirs festival, which was held in Sheffield the same weekend. Supporters from the Festival joined Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign for a mass singing of the “Boycott song”, outside Sheffield Town hall.

In York members of York PSC held a picket at the Anglican General Synod, and gave out hundreds of copies of the summary of the Kairos document to people attending the Synod.

Groups across the country have been working on the campaign calling on an end to the sale of Israeli dates and in particular calling on British Muslims not to break their fast with Israeli dates this Ramadan. On Wednesday 16th July the “Dates: Check the Label” Campaign will be launched in London by the Friends of Al Aqsa, in partnership with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

http://www.aqsa.org.uk/RESOURCES/BoycottIsraeliDates2010/tabid/163/language/en-GB/Default.aspx

The cultural boycott is currently campaigning against the advertising campaign by the Israeli Ministry of Israel – ThinkIsrael. A campaign to “redesign” Thinkisrael”s posters on the London Underground system has taken place. The campaigns to persuade international artists not to perform in Israel is currently focussing on Swedish classical singer Anne Sofie von Otter, who plans to perform for the first time in Israel this October. A letter writing campaign to her manager at sthomson@imgartists.com is taking place, including personal pleas by other singers who have performed with her in the past.

Finally, the Woodcraft Folk, a youth movement which works for peace and justice, this week voted at its annual gathering to boycott Israel, following an emergency resolution put forward following the attack on the Gaza freedom Flotilla.

Comments are closed.