Skip to content or view screen version

Activists Deny Smear by General Manager of Carmel Agrexco

Climate Camper | 19.08.2007 19:42 | Campaign against Carmel-Agrexco | Climate Camp 2007 | Palestine | London

Activists Deny Smear by General Manager of Carmel Agrexco

Yesterday a group of 40-50 activists took part in a blockade and occupation of Carmel-Agrexco in Hayes, Middlesex, in solidarity with the 'Camp for Climate Action'.

The Press Association wire ran an item on the blockade quoting Agrexco General Manager Amos Orr as saying that many of the protesters were drunk. It is surprising that the Press Association ran this story without reporting the fact that each activist was subjected to a search under Section one of the Police And Criminal Evidence Act, a power which the police have been using widely to deal with activists from the Climate Camp. Such searches require the activists to be intimately searched by police officers, and no arrests were made for any alcohol related offences. Bearing in mind the over-zealous manner in which the camp has been policed, Mr. Orr should be able at the least to point to charges which substantiate the claim. In any event Mr Orr did not arrive until the protest was virtually over. The claim is strongly denied.

Mr. Orr goes on to say that protesters were 'singing about Hamas'. This claim too is strenuously denied by the activists involved. Orr's comments are an attempt to smear campaigners. Those who attended the protest did so to highlight the damaging effects of air freighting of food and to show support for Palestinians who suffer under Israeli Occupation, and against the importation of produce from settlements in the illegally occupied West Bank.

The Camp For Climate Action has been the victim of repeated attempts to smear campaigners. This is because those who are responsible for the root causes of climate change want to distract attention from the real issues.

6 activists were arrested and released on police bail. No-one has yet been charged with any offence.

Notes to the Editor

Carmel-Agrexco is an Israeli company which air freights fresh produce into Britain and thereby contributes to climate change.

The action was part of a concerted campaign against the company and part of the growing movement for a boycott of Israeli apartheid. The action coincided with the Climate Camp and sought to highlight the damage done to the environment by air freighting of food by Agrexco and similar companies.

Climate Camper

Comments

Hide the following 4 comments

'Independant' reporting.

20.08.2007 12:38

I am astonished that the 'climate camp' is directly linked with this: 'Mr. Orr goes on to say that protesters were 'singing about Hamas'. This claim too is strenuously denied by the activists involved. Orr's comments are an attempt to smear campaigners. Those who attended the protest did so to highlight the damaging effects of air freighting of food and to show support for Palestinians who suffer under Israeli Occupation, and against the importation of produce from settlements in the illegally occupied West Bank'

It is one thing to express views on the climate - it is quite another to tie the latter politics into this. As usual, 'rent-a-mob', consisting of the 'usual suspects' (who do not appear to have employment), appear to be at the heart of this.

Sympathy for this protest will swiftly disappear if this type of linkage continues.

Very sad.

Astonished


Same sort of smears

20.08.2007 14:26

"As usual, 'rent-a-mob', consisting of the 'usual suspects' (who do not appear to have employment), appear to be at the heart of this."

Astonished seems to be making exactly the same kind of smear that Amos Orr has resorted to.

Its even easier to smear from behind a veneer of anonymity, but even less likely to be taken seriously.

Have a nice heart attack........

Astonished my arse


Sad?

20.08.2007 14:35

What is sad about this? Because it is a political casue you do not agree with? Most people involved with climate camp have a conscience and are therefore likely to be involved in other campaigns as well. This does not make them, in the right-wing press' words, 'rent a mob' candidates, only thinking human beings who can connect the dots between different issues. Pick your own battles and keep an open mind (believe me, most people do work!)

Jessica


I have a job

20.08.2007 17:57

I was at the action, i support action against the flying of easily locally sourced products, i support action against Israeli apartheid profiteers, and i have a job.

I'm a care worker.

Whoopee fucking doo.

M Ployee