PRESS RELEASE
For IMMEADIATE RELEASE
Protesters Blockade Israeli State Owned Company
Press contact:
07986 764432
07745 817822
thewallmustfall@riseup.net
11 February 2008
For IMMEADIATE RELEASE
Protesters Blockade Israeli State Owned Company
Press contact:
07986 764432
07745 817822
thewallmustfall@riseup.net 11 February 2008
From around 3pm today Palestine solidarity demonstrators have today been blockading Carmel Agrexco's U.K headquarters in Swallowfield Way, Hayes, Middlesex to highlight the company’s human rights record in occupied Palestine.
Protesters were met with violent assaults by Agrexco security guards who smashed a video camera.
Two protesters are currently under detained by police under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act
A group of demonstrators have locked to the gates (used arm tubes and super glue) to prevent lorries from high street companies such as Sainsbury's and Tesco's from entering the premises to load up on flowers and vegetables grown in occupied palestine. Carmel is the largest importer of fruit, vegetables and flowers from the West Bank, Palestine. It is believed that they are in breach of the International Criminal Court Act 2001.
The protest is part of a week of action against Carmel called for by the Boycott Israeli Goods campaign (
http://www.bigcampaign.org) against the import of Valentines' Day flowers from Israel and Israeli settlements in the occupied territories. The run up to Valentines day is one of the busiest periods of the year for the company. Within the last week there has been a blockade of a Carmel depot in Belgium and local actions occurring around Britain to coincide with the week of action.
Today’s blockade aims to draw attention to this company’s complicity, in murder, theft and damage of occupied land, collective punishment, apartheid and ethnic cleansing, and other breaches of International Law.
Notes For Journalists
Carmel is complicit in war crimes under the International Criminal Court Act 2001 (ICC Act). They import fresh produce originating from illegal Israeli settlements in
the Occupied Territories.
The purpose of the protest is to highlight Agrexco's illegal activity in court.
The action follows a legal warning letter to Carmel stating clearly why they are in breach of the law.
The action took place at Agrexco UK, Swallowfield Way, Hayes, Middlesex, Israel’s largest importer of agricultural produce into the European Union. It is 50% Israeli State owned.
Before taking part in the blockade, many of the protesters had witnessed first hand the suffering of Palestinians under Israeli military occupation.
This follows from actions of 11th November 2004, when Palestine-Solidarity protesters from London and Brighton were arrested after taking part in non-violent blockades outside the same company and 30 August 2006, When demonstrators blockaded the company for 11 hours and no arrests were made.
In September 2005, a Judge ruled that Agrexco (UK) must prove that their business is lawful. The acquittal of the seven activists before they were able to present their
defence meant that the court did not have to rule on the legality of Agrexco-Carmel’s involvement in the supply of produce from illegal settlements in the occupied territories.
In September 2006 protesters blockaded the company again, Carmel refused to have demonstrators arrested because this would have lead to another embarrassing court appearance where theirbusiness methods would have been investigated by a Britishcourt of law.
Links:
Photos of the last blockade
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
Protesters were met with violent assaults by Agrexco security guards who smashed a video camera.
Two protesters are currently under detained by police under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act
A group of demonstrators have locked to the gates (used arm tubes and super glue) to prevent lorries from high street companies such as Sainsbury's and Tesco's from entering the premises to load up on flowers and vegetables grown in occupied palestine. Carmel is the largest importer of fruit, vegetables and flowers from the West Bank, Palestine. It is believed that they are in breach of the International Criminal Court Act 2001.
The protest is part of a week of action against Carmel called for by the Boycott Israeli Goods campaign (
http://www.bigcampaign.org) against the import of Valentines' Day flowers from Israel and Israeli settlements in the occupied territories. The run up to Valentines day is one of the busiest periods of the year for the company. Within the last week there has been a blockade of a Carmel depot in Belgium and local actions occurring around Britain to coincide with the week of action. Today’s blockade aims to draw attention to this company’s complicity, in murder, theft and damage of occupied land, collective punishment, apartheid and ethnic cleansing, and other breaches of International Law.
Notes For Journalists
Carmel is complicit in war crimes under the International Criminal Court Act 2001 (ICC Act). They import fresh produce originating from illegal Israeli settlements in
the Occupied Territories.
The purpose of the protest is to highlight Agrexco's illegal activity in court.
The action follows a legal warning letter to Carmel stating clearly why they are in breach of the law.
The action took place at Agrexco UK, Swallowfield Way, Hayes, Middlesex, Israel’s largest importer of agricultural produce into the European Union. It is 50% Israeli State owned.
Before taking part in the blockade, many of the protesters had witnessed first hand the suffering of Palestinians under Israeli military occupation.
This follows from actions of 11th November 2004, when Palestine-Solidarity protesters from London and Brighton were arrested after taking part in non-violent blockades outside the same company and 30 August 2006, When demonstrators blockaded the company for 11 hours and no arrests were made.
In September 2005, a Judge ruled that Agrexco (UK) must prove that their business is lawful. The acquittal of the seven activists before they were able to present their
defence meant that the court did not have to rule on the legality of Agrexco-Carmel’s involvement in the supply of produce from illegal settlements in the occupied territories.
In September 2006 protesters blockaded the company again, Carmel refused to have demonstrators arrested because this would have lead to another embarrassing court appearance where theirbusiness methods would have been investigated by a Britishcourt of law.
Links:
Photos of the last blockade
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 
e-mail:
Comments
Hide the following 6 comments
Have a wash next time
12.02.2008 09:29
Murtock
Well done!
12.02.2008 12:20
Whilst not wantiing to respond to the thoroughly repugnant views of Murtock, I would just like to comment on the issue of intimidation. This was a non-violent protest, however I have heard that many protestors on this action were attacked by 'workers'. Also, were the 'workers' really so intimidated by a woman filming the action that it took three large men to punch her to the ground and smash her camera to bits?
Crane
bravo protesters
13.02.2008 01:30
I hope all your bruises heal soon
as for murtock, he obviously seeks to smear your good deeds but in trying to do so exposes himself to ridicule
He finds 'happy clappy people' who are not dangerous, intimidating and deserving violent attack
what kind of person does that make him?
jose
True Courage!
13.02.2008 11:47
I am worried for the two brave souls who were detained under the terrorism act - any news of them?
I am shocked to hear a lady was attacked by three men and her camera smashed - have the police arrested the culprits?
Murtock - you disgust me.
observer
Police are useless
13.02.2008 18:58
The two held under the terrorism act were quickly released after being searched.
The police again refused to listen when informed of the incident with the camera (which is now in pieces), which had footage of many being assaulted. The police took no action to find out why people were hurt and were not interested in arresting anyone from Carmel.
Murtock, if you want to get beaten up by 20 workers and security, go right ahead.
Beehives
terrorism act
14.02.2008 09:28
New stop and search powers are coming soon that will allow police to do this under PACE without any reason or form filling afterwards, and thus no evidence that it even happened-and thus no recourse to complain if it was obvious harassment by police.
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