The blockaders braved torrential rain for nearly six hours completely stopping all deliveries to and from the depot. A structure was erects from metal fence panels completely blocking Agrexco’s main gate. Two activists locked-on to the company’s vehicle access gate, inside the company grounds while another two secured the second gate.
Carmel-Agrexco in Hayes is the main UK depot of Israel’s 50% state owned export company. Agrexco is responsible for exporting the majority of fruit and veg from illegal settlements in the West Bank to the UK. The UK is a large part of the market for settlement produce making up 60% of Agrexco’s total exports.
Carmel-Agrexco in Hayes is the main UK depot of Israel’s 50% state owned export company. Agrexco is responsible for exporting the majority of fruit and veg from illegal settlements in the West Bank to the UK. The UK is a large part of the market for settlement produce making up 60% of Agrexco’s total exports.
Carmel-Agrexco in Hayes is the main UK depot of Israel’s 50% state owned export company. Agrexco is responsible for exporting the majority of fruit and veg from illegal settlements in the West Bank to the UK. The UK is a large part of the market for settlement produce making up 60% of Agrexco’s total exports.
Agrexco profit from Israel’s illegal occupation and entrenched system of racial apartheid in the occupied Palestinian territories. In the Jordan Valley, in the occupied West Bank, Agrexco farm on stolen Palestinian land while Palestinian’s work for them for less than a living wage. Carmel-Agrexco can deliver fruit and veg to Europe in 24 hours while Palestinian farmers produce rots in the fields because the farmers can’t bring it through illegal Israeli military checkpoints.
see:
http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2006/04/23/corporate-complicity-in-the-ethnic-cleansing-of-the-jordan-valley/
http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2006/07/15/jordan-valley-stranglehold/
http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2006/05/07/how-else-could-i-buy-food-and-clothes/
Recently workers for Agrexco’s franchises took a wage cut and had to sign away their right to a pension.
This is the third time Agrexco has been blockaded since 2004. In November 2004 the ‘Uxbridge 7’ shut down the factory for 12 hours and were charged with preventing lawful business. In the court proceedings the protesters legal team argued that Agrexco’s business was not lawful as the company was ‘ancillary to apartheid’ by profiting from, and sustaining, illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land. The defence obtained disclosure from Agrexco on which settlements the company dealt with. The blockaders case was later discharged as Agrexco did not own the land they claimed the protesters had trespassed on.
In September activists blockaded the depot again, this time the company made a decision not to prosecute because they were afraid of the negative publicity another court case could generate.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/08/349440.html
Today the company again refused to prosecute blockaders and the six people locked-on were able to walk away. They did issue a warning that we were committing aggravated trespass to two protesters with the possibility of a summons.
The question is how long can this company hold out before they are forced to prosecute protesters who disrupt their grubby business
Links:
Press Release from third Blockade
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/356950.html
Photos of the second blockade (September 2006)
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/08/349440.html
Text of letter sent to Carmel Agrexco
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/london/2006/08/347361.html
Report on Carmel’s Involvement in the Jordan Valley:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/09/322537.html
Press release from previous trial (with links):
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/01/331851.html
War on Want’s Report –“Profiting from the Occupation”:
http://www.waronwant.org/?lid=12671
Agrexco profit from Israel’s illegal occupation and entrenched system of racial apartheid in the occupied Palestinian territories. In the Jordan Valley, in the occupied West Bank, Agrexco farm on stolen Palestinian land while Palestinian’s work for them for less than a living wage. Carmel-Agrexco can deliver fruit and veg to Europe in 24 hours while Palestinian farmers produce rots in the fields because the farmers can’t bring it through illegal Israeli military checkpoints.
see:
http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2006/04/23/corporate-complicity-in-the-ethnic-cleansing-of-the-jordan-valley/ http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2006/07/15/jordan-valley-stranglehold/ http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2006/05/07/how-else-could-i-buy-food-and-clothes/ Recently workers for Agrexco’s franchises took a wage cut and had to sign away their right to a pension.
This is the third time Agrexco has been blockaded since 2004. In November 2004 the ‘Uxbridge 7’ shut down the factory for 12 hours and were charged with preventing lawful business. In the court proceedings the protesters legal team argued that Agrexco’s business was not lawful as the company was ‘ancillary to apartheid’ by profiting from, and sustaining, illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land. The defence obtained disclosure from Agrexco on which settlements the company dealt with. The blockaders case was later discharged as Agrexco did not own the land they claimed the protesters had trespassed on.
In September activists blockaded the depot again, this time the company made a decision not to prosecute because they were afraid of the negative publicity another court case could generate.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/08/349440.html Today the company again refused to prosecute blockaders and the six people locked-on were able to walk away. They did issue a warning that we were committing aggravated trespass to two protesters with the possibility of a summons.
The question is how long can this company hold out before they are forced to prosecute protesters who disrupt their grubby business
Links:
Press Release from third Blockade
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/356950.html Photos of the second blockade (September 2006)
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/08/349440.html Text of letter sent to Carmel Agrexco
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/london/2006/08/347361.html Report on Carmel’s Involvement in the Jordan Valley:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/09/322537.html Press release from previous trial (with links):
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/01/331851.html War on Want’s Report –“Profiting from the Occupation”:
http://www.waronwant.org/?lid=12671 
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Israel Veg's Out
28.11.2006 12:39
6 people completely blockaded all entrances to Carmel Agrexco's
main UK distribution depot for the third time last Sunday. Over 10
people protesters were there to lend support.
Protesters erected a triangular barricade made of fence posts with
2 people d-locked inside on the largest gate. Another 2 protesters
locked themselves to the second gate and 2 locked on to a traffic
barrier inside the property. They were all locked on and in
position in a matter of minutes, before Carmel's security could
respond. It was clear that they had really beefed up security since
last time however, as the guards were clearly labelled in shiny new
fluoros.
Once in position the protesters had plenty of time to make
themselves more comfortable before the police arrived half an hour
later. One protester had enough time to unlock and relock in a
better place, and support people were able to get forgotten food to
those locked on inside the company's property.
Unfortunately shortly after everything had been set up it began to
rain torrentially, and continued on and off for the rest of the
day. Locked on people and supporters alike shivered in the cold.
The cops helpfully told those locked-on they were likely to get
struck by lightening in a feeble attempt to scare them into leaving.
One particularly thick yet unusually inquisitive copper wanted the
know the meaning of apartheid. It was kindly explained to him by a
patient blockader, however he didn't quite get how the Israeli-
owned Carmel was guilty of this crime. Needless to say he received
a long and detailed answer from protesters who were only too eager
to educate. The police were also overheard talking about the 'last
action here like this one 2 years ago', completely unaware that the
last lock on was less than 3 months before.
Throughout the day arcticulated lorries queued up quite
satisfyingly outside the gates. Employees climbed a ladder to get
into the plant, only to have no work to do and around outside
smoking and arguing with those outside.
For the second time, Carmel's management were reluctant to press
charges, leaving the police struggling to justify their presence.
Arriving on the scene too late two van loads of police cutting
teams arrived just as the blockaders had decided to unlock. The
police threatened to nick the about-to-unlock blockaders, but
hadn't quite decided what for. They eventually settled on 'public
nuisance' with an outside possibility of aggravated trespass.
However, without the company's aquiesence there was little outlet
for their itchy arrest-crazed little mitts and everyone walked away
scott-free.
The cops still had a few petty power-games up their sleeve though.
They confiscated the protesters' banner muttering something
unintelligible about 'criminal damage' (how a steel gate can be
damaged by a canvas banner is dubious, although it's rumoured that
anarchists are perfecting the technology...). Frustrated cops then
stopped a van they suspected as being linked to the protest.
Finding a minor problem with the number of seats in the van they
told her she would be breaking the law if she drove any further.
The priorities of the cops were completely outrageous. Neither
major breaches of international law, or locking-on propelled them
to action, but give them a bit of minor traffic infraction and
they're all over it like settlers over Palestine. Luckily for the
rain-drenched anarchos a sympathetic driver was found who went out
of his way to get people home.
Now is a good time to blockade Carmel Agrexco. You can perfect your
blockading skills with minimal chance of getting nicked, and if you
do you stand a chance of kick-starting a major investigation into
Israel's crimes in Palestine.
Carmel 365 anyone?
Block-Aid