Shoppers at the main Waitrose supermarket, in Bristol (UK), were greeted by Palestine campaigners this Saturday (14th August). Protesters were handing out leaflets for the Boycott-Israeli Goods campaign. Store management and security were very jumpy. Perhaps guilty they hadn’t replied to campaigner’s letters pointing out that stocking Israeli goods was a contradiction of their “Responsible Sourcing” policy. Or more likely that Waitrose had never experienced a demonstration in their tranquil Henlease suburb. Several police were in attendance, including a support vehicle and for a while a riot van. A considerable number of shoppers expressed support for Palestine and the Boycott campaign. One even joined the protest group.
The main event was a tribute to the nine aid workers who were killed onboard the Mavi Marmara on its way to Gaza on the 31st May this year. Nine campaigners dressed in red tee-shirts including the picture of each of the dead. One-by-one they fell to the ground, shot by a towering eight-foot high Israeli soldier. The group have a produced a YouTube movie available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpNVzgZx0bc

The event was organised by the Bristol Palestine Solidarity Campaign www.bristolpsc.info. A spokesperson said “We were all relived the two Bristolians returned safely from the Mavi Marmara. But now more details are emerging of the brutality of the Israeli attack, our thoughts are with the nine that were killed. They were all very ordinary hard-working people. Their partners, children and families are left grieving. And the details of their wounds are especially harrowing, many were shot many times and several through the head.

They go on to say “We stand in solidarity with the 9 Turkish Peace activists that were shot dead by Israeli forces as part of the May Aid Mavi Marmara flotilla to Gaza, Bristol PSC acted out a scene from these terrible events. This took place in front of a Waitrose store in Bristol to inform and persuade shoppers against buying Israeli products in light of the illegal and brutal actions Israel undertook against these peace protesters and which they are carrying out on a daily basis to Palestinians in conflict to international law. Bristol PSC and lots of Bristol's citizens stand hand in hand with the Palestinians plight and wont stop until this brutal regime has been halted”

Bristol has a long history of links with Palestine. From peace campaigners to faith groups, from football teams to Banksy, many Bristolians have visited Palestine. A group called Bristol-Gaza-Link was set up last year with all party support on the Council. The city sent substantial amounts of humanitarian aid to Gaza with the Viva Palestina convoys, including a giant articulated truck of medial aid decorated with iconic images of Wallace and Grommit. Five Bristol people have just been cleared of two hundred thousands pounds worth of damage to an Israel-linked arms factory in Brighton. Recently two Bristol citizens were within inches of death when Israeli commandos attacked the aid ship the Mavi Marmara. Bristol is the first local council in the country passing a motion condemning these attacks and calling for boycott and divestment of Israel. The Bristol Palestine Solidarity Campaign group has a long history of work in Bristol and is currently concentrating on the Boycott campaign and organised the recent picket of the Johnny Rotten concert in opposition to his forthcoming trip to Israel.

Bristol Palestine Solidarity Campaign www.bristolpsc.info