Carmel-Agrexco shut down as part of 'Boycott Israeli Goods' week of action

imc-uk-features | 28.09.2008 05:58 | Anti-militarism | Palestine | South Coast

Human rights activists shut down the Carmel-Agrexco depot in Hayes, Middlesex, for 12 hours on 28 September, 2008, as part of a week of action called by the Boycott Israeli Goods campaign. Both gates to the depot were blocked, with four protesters locking themselves inside a cage blocking one gate, while another was D-locked to the other. At least 14 trucks were prevented from entering the premises during the day. One protester was arrested for 'obstruction of the highway'.

The day before, at about 3:30am, activists with tipper trucks had dumped builders rubble across both gates of the depot. Protests against the sale of Israeli produce from occupied Palestinian land also took place outside supermarkets around the country, which account for 60% of Carmel-Agrexco's total exports.

Previous Actions: Carmel Agrexco's Depot Shut Down in Commemoration of the Nakba | Fortress Carmel Agrexco breached by Peace Activists | Video - Carmel Agrexco protest during Camp for Climate Action | Weekend of Action Against Carmel Agrexco | Activists Blockade Carmel-Agrexco's UK Headquarters for the Third Time | International Actions against Israeli Apartheid

Further reading: Text of letter to Carmel-Agrexco | Report on Carmel's involvement in the Jordan Valley | War on Want's report: Profiting from the Occupation

Links: Palestine Solidarity Campaign | The Big Campaign

the blockade this morning

The Israeli government has a 50% stake in Agrexco Agricultural Export Company Ltd, whose exports include flowers, avocados and herbs grown in illegal Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land. Earlier this month, an Israeli ministerial committee decided that the company will be privatised.

Carmel-Agrexco, Agrexco's biggest fresh agricultural produce brand, had disclosed that the company exports fresh produce from several illegal Israeli settlements in the Jordan Valley in the West Bank, Palestine. The Mehola settlement in the central Jordan Valley is one of them.

Protesters argue that Agrexco's harvesting and sale of goods from illegal settlements built in the Palestinian Occupied Territories have only been enabled by eviction, murder and theft of resources, which are considered "war crimes" under the International Criminal Courts Act 2001. As such, Agrexco's business of importing fresh produce into the UK is "unlawful business".

imc-uk-features

Additions

updates

28.09.2008 09:55

At least three Agrexco trucks have been prevented from entering the depot and are all parked outside. Two are big trucks, one from Amsterdam and the other from France, while the third is a small local truck.

Police have come round and said if protesters did not leave soon they will have to use "reasonable force" to remove them. The atmosphere is cheerful and relaxed as the sun has come up and it's a bit warmer now.

on the phone

UPDATE

28.09.2008 12:41

Protestors inside the cage have managed to switch around with support team outside. The blockade will continue!

Police have been talking loudly of cutting protestors D-locks but so far no serious action has taken place in this vein. The activists have challenged the legality of cutting off protestors who the police have stated "are committing no crime".

Carmel is at Swallowfield way, Hayes, near Heathrow airport. Pay them a visit.

Brett

update

28.09.2008 15:48

The activists have decided to end the callout for solidarity.
One man has been unlawfully arrested for "obstruction" despite moving when asked.

will post more updates when there is more news

King Leanord

action ended

29.09.2008 21:48

17:30 : The blockade ended after 12 hours. At least 14 trucks were prevented from entering Carmel Agrexco's premises during the day. One arrest for 'obstruction of the highway'.

dispatch

Comments

Hide the following 5 comments

Nice One

28.09.2008 21:32

Great action guys.

It would be good to compress and resize your images before posting them though.

Sophie

GOOD JOB!

29.09.2008 23:14

Great to see this is happening! Can someone post any updates? Cheers.

Solidarity from across the pond!

USA not OK

well done comrades

07.10.2008 13:45

Nice one comrades, brilliant to see the pressure is being kept up. Alos good to know that 1) the first trial established agrexco did not own the land outside its drive and 2) didn't want to be in court over the legality of their trade, which is why they have never bothered to prosecute anyone on the later actions.

like the advert for low-fat chocolate expounds, "Go Ahead - They Can't Touch You For It!"

What we need now is seven affinity groups independently equipped to mount a rolling blockade for a week. That would properly mess them up.

al macshoof

antisemites..

12.10.2008 11:24

..you are. First think, then act. Israel is the necessary result of the shoa. All national states must be abolished. Also Israel. As the last one.

ANTIfascist

re: antisemites..

13.10.2008 10:37

Don't be daft, no they're not. I'm sure they thought long and hard before acting, otherwise it's far too much effort!

PS Disagree with what you say about necessary result, agree with no nation states.

first think, then comment