The weekly boycott of Marks and Spencer, Britain's biggest corporate sponsor of Israel, went ahead again last night with energy and creativity.
After nearly four years of demonstrating on a weekly basis it can seem difficult to maintain the enthusiasm and direction of the pickets at times. However, with the continuing brutality that the Palestinians are having to live under and endure it soon becomes clear that it is essential that we don't just maintain the pickets, but look at them, analyse them and take them forward.
I say this most weeks but last nights demo was excellent. There were at least 30-35 people on the demo, amongst whom were several new people. It is the ability of the pickets to bring in new people each week, even if it is often in small numbers, that has kept the demonstrations going with fresh ideas and enthusiasm. It's always good to hear new speeches on the megaphone, new chants, see new placards, new angles on arguments and new knowledge and experience. Without these things it is quite possible the demonstrations would have packed in a long time ago.
We had the benefit of a beautiful Summer evening last night and a bustling Oxford St full of Brits and tourists alike. Many visitors from the Gulf stopped to talk to us, join in with the chants and piss off the Zionists. A few Israeli tourists stopped to debate too (though in most cases shout at us). It was incredible to see, amongst the young and old alike, how utterly mindwashed a lot of these Israelis actually are. No matter how many facts you give them all they can see are 'suicide bombings' 'anti-Semitism' 'suicide bombings' 'anti-Semitism' over and over and over again like a broken record. This is because they can't deal with the facts, with the reality of the brutal occupation which they are causing so they decieve themselves. Like all those who are morally weak and mindless they play the 'victim' role. They can't deal with the fact, for example that 3547 Palestinians have been killed since 2001 compared to 948 israelis. If they look objectively at the truth they won't be able to deal with how thoroughly repressive and undemocratic Israel is. All they can do is bark on about how thoroughly repressive and undemocratic the Arab states are. They're right, the Arab regimes disgust me and the likes of the ruling Al Sau'ds in Saudi Arabia belong at the bottom of the Red Sea, but for all their faults at least they're not brutally occupying another land. It's easy for Zionists to criticise another government but not their own.
Which is why it is imperative that we keep on building the M&S demos. Not just to expose the brutality of the Israeli government but to highlight the links of Britain to Zionism and other repressive regimes around the world. We will be stepping up our campaign by having a demonstration this Saturday as well as next Thursday. Come along, support the Palestian people and boycott racist Marks and Spencer.
Victory to the Intifada!
Boycott M&S this Saturday 31st July, 12-2pm. Oxford St Marks and Spencer (Marble Arch)
and same store next and every Thursday, 6-8pm.
I say this most weeks but last nights demo was excellent. There were at least 30-35 people on the demo, amongst whom were several new people. It is the ability of the pickets to bring in new people each week, even if it is often in small numbers, that has kept the demonstrations going with fresh ideas and enthusiasm. It's always good to hear new speeches on the megaphone, new chants, see new placards, new angles on arguments and new knowledge and experience. Without these things it is quite possible the demonstrations would have packed in a long time ago.
We had the benefit of a beautiful Summer evening last night and a bustling Oxford St full of Brits and tourists alike. Many visitors from the Gulf stopped to talk to us, join in with the chants and piss off the Zionists. A few Israeli tourists stopped to debate too (though in most cases shout at us). It was incredible to see, amongst the young and old alike, how utterly mindwashed a lot of these Israelis actually are. No matter how many facts you give them all they can see are 'suicide bombings' 'anti-Semitism' 'suicide bombings' 'anti-Semitism' over and over and over again like a broken record. This is because they can't deal with the facts, with the reality of the brutal occupation which they are causing so they decieve themselves. Like all those who are morally weak and mindless they play the 'victim' role. They can't deal with the fact, for example that 3547 Palestinians have been killed since 2001 compared to 948 israelis. If they look objectively at the truth they won't be able to deal with how thoroughly repressive and undemocratic Israel is. All they can do is bark on about how thoroughly repressive and undemocratic the Arab states are. They're right, the Arab regimes disgust me and the likes of the ruling Al Sau'ds in Saudi Arabia belong at the bottom of the Red Sea, but for all their faults at least they're not brutally occupying another land. It's easy for Zionists to criticise another government but not their own.
Which is why it is imperative that we keep on building the M&S demos. Not just to expose the brutality of the Israeli government but to highlight the links of Britain to Zionism and other repressive regimes around the world. We will be stepping up our campaign by having a demonstration this Saturday as well as next Thursday. Come along, support the Palestian people and boycott racist Marks and Spencer.
Victory to the Intifada!
Boycott M&S this Saturday 31st July, 12-2pm. Oxford St Marks and Spencer (Marble Arch)
and same store next and every Thursday, 6-8pm.
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Comments
Hide the following 3 comments
fool
30.07.2004 11:29
Umm ever heard of Kurdistan? Iraq oppressed and genocidically ethnically cleansed its Kurds for decades. Iran and Syria still brutally suppress their Kurds (technically Iran is not an Arab state but it's joined the gang basically), who have no rights whatsoever. The Sudanese Islamists and Arabists have been genocidically attacking the Southern Christians and Animists for decades, and now apparently are ethnically cleansing blacks in Darfur. The Druze are likewise oppressed in Syria.
You are unbelievably arrogant in the way that you believe that Israelis, who live in the situation first hand, and read and see the conflict 24/7, are ignorant and know less about the conflict than you, some stupid "revolutionary communist" who has read a noam chomsky book on how evil the Zionists are.
Check out Palestine Media Watch, which exposes PLO anti-semitism and creation of a culture of death if you think its just lies.
fsf
aint race religion or nationality. its power.
30.07.2004 15:08
And by the way, I remember reading Noam Chomsky saying he WAS a zionist. He was a member of a zionist youth organisation. All he has ever critized is power, because thats where the problem lies. So leave the titles and catagorys and identitys inside you, and join with yer brothers and sisters to smash power.
---
Bit harsh on the Israeli people there...
30.07.2004 15:36
Charming comment there. Let`s remember that it`s the corrupt Israeli goverment carrying out these actions, not the Israeli people. No doubt many Israelis don`t agree with their goverments policies. Your comment sounds like something from a BNP flyer.
"Like all those who are morally weak and mindless they play the 'victim' role. They can't deal with the fact, for example that 3547 Palestinians have been killed since 2001 compared to 948 israelis."
While I abhor the actions of the brutal Israeli army, I`m sure many of the 948 Israelis were decent people who did not deserve to die.
Before people start attacking me, I`m not defending the actions of the Israeli goverment, I`m not a Zionist. I believe the wall should be torn down and that those who demolish Palestinian homes should be charged with war crimes. I just feel that the suicide bombings are wrong as they are not harming the army or politicans, but ordinary people (even if you feel they shouldn`t be there, killing them is not the answer) and that your condemnation of the Israeli tourists (for all you know, they may actually live in the area)is unfair. Just because a goverment and its army is morally worng, does not mean all of its people are.
Thank you.
David
David