Demonstration Grows
Andrew Alexander | 04.12.2003 22:43 | Anti-racism | London
Demonstration of Marks and Spencer grows after call for support. Zionist counter-demo dishes out more threats and sick propaganda.
Report of Marks and Spencer Picket (04/12/03)
First of all I’d just like to say a big thanks to everyone who heeded last week’s call for support and came along to the picket. Compared to the previous week it was a real success and numbers were high, (at least far higher than the Zionist thugs) into the 40’s and easily over 50 different people throughout the 2 hours. There were quite a few old faces and new faces too.
The pickets have been going every week for the last three years as a focus for continuing Palestinian solidarity work here in Israel. Marks and Sparks has been chosen as the target because they are Britain’s biggest commercial sponsor of Israel and because their Board of Directors have public stated that it is one of the companies main aims to support and aid the economic development of the country.
Recently an alliance of right wing Zionists called Betar-Tagar and British fascists have organised a counter-demonstration to force disorder giving the police an excuse to close the demonstrations down under the Public Order Act. The pickets have been well organised and disciplined though and they have not succeeded in their task, they have only succeeded in making them bigger.
It was good to see quite a few people from ISM were down today and saw a lot of the propaganda, especially concerning lies about the ISM. Earlier in the day there were rumours that Betar members were distributing literature on Oxford St with Tom Hurndall on. It gave the impression that they were raising money for Tom because the family had a cheque from Israel to cover the cost of flying Tom back (the cheque bounced). Money raised by Betar goes straight to the IDF.
The pickets of course continue next week. Please come along, it is vital we maintain pressure against M&S and Israel. Especially now with all the people on the street at Christmas time. Let them know what is really happening this time of year in Bethlehem. Victory to the Intifada!
Next picket: Brixton M&S, 12 till 2pm, Saturday 6th December.
Oxford St M&S, 6 till 8pm, Thursday 11th December.
Meeting on Ethnic Cleansing in Palestine, 7pm, Room S75, St Clements Building, London School of Economics, Wednesday 10th December.
First of all I’d just like to say a big thanks to everyone who heeded last week’s call for support and came along to the picket. Compared to the previous week it was a real success and numbers were high, (at least far higher than the Zionist thugs) into the 40’s and easily over 50 different people throughout the 2 hours. There were quite a few old faces and new faces too.
The pickets have been going every week for the last three years as a focus for continuing Palestinian solidarity work here in Israel. Marks and Sparks has been chosen as the target because they are Britain’s biggest commercial sponsor of Israel and because their Board of Directors have public stated that it is one of the companies main aims to support and aid the economic development of the country.
Recently an alliance of right wing Zionists called Betar-Tagar and British fascists have organised a counter-demonstration to force disorder giving the police an excuse to close the demonstrations down under the Public Order Act. The pickets have been well organised and disciplined though and they have not succeeded in their task, they have only succeeded in making them bigger.
It was good to see quite a few people from ISM were down today and saw a lot of the propaganda, especially concerning lies about the ISM. Earlier in the day there were rumours that Betar members were distributing literature on Oxford St with Tom Hurndall on. It gave the impression that they were raising money for Tom because the family had a cheque from Israel to cover the cost of flying Tom back (the cheque bounced). Money raised by Betar goes straight to the IDF.
The pickets of course continue next week. Please come along, it is vital we maintain pressure against M&S and Israel. Especially now with all the people on the street at Christmas time. Let them know what is really happening this time of year in Bethlehem. Victory to the Intifada!
Next picket: Brixton M&S, 12 till 2pm, Saturday 6th December.
Oxford St M&S, 6 till 8pm, Thursday 11th December.
Meeting on Ethnic Cleansing in Palestine, 7pm, Room S75, St Clements Building, London School of Economics, Wednesday 10th December.
Andrew Alexander
e-mail:
victoryintifada@hotmail.com
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