A co-ordinated protest in London's Camden Market scored a victory against Caterpillar, the company that supplies the Israeli army with bulldozers and tanks. Rhythms of Resistance were joined by members of the Sheffield Samba Band in this protest. At the same time, various groups including the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign and the International Solidarity Movement took over Camden High Street with several banners, some of which where designed to represent the (in)famous wall Israel is building inside the West Bank. [Pics 1|2]. A street theatre performance also recreated an Israeli checkpoint in the middle of one of the busiest street markets in London [Photo]
The protesters approached the manager of the chain of shoe shops Future Designs explaining the issues relating Caterpillar with the violent Israeli occupation of Palestine. He said that until today's demonstration, he was unaware of the connection between Caterpillar and the repression in Palestine. He then thanked the demonstrators and promised to remove all Caterpillar stock as well as writing to the company to explain his decision. At a time when millions were ignored over the War on Iraq, today's small action showed how effective direct action can be.
more samba rhythms
The instant co-operation of the bootstore management was in marked contrast to the attitude of the manager at EGOSHEGO across the road, who not only refused to listen to the protestors, but also assaulted one of the photographers who was filming the non-violent, colourful samba action outside the shop. When he made a complaint to the police, they refused to accept his demand to press charges despite them actually witnessing the assault.
The protest was due to continue to Trafalgar Square for a ritual tearing down of the wall. Today's protest coincided with the fall of the Berlin Wall thirteen years ago, and also ironically the anniversary of Kristalnacht in 1938, when Jewish interests were attacked in Germany signalling the denial of Jewish participation in public life, and marking the climax of a policy of exclusion and ghettoisation.
