Boycott Actions On Rise In Ireland.

In Blog, Politicsby Ronan Burtenshaw22 Comments

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Tesco, Cork

Tesco, Cork

On Thursday Ireland saw one of its busiest days of action yet for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, Ronan Burtenshaw reports.

As the death toll in Gaza rose above 1,600, actions took place in six locations across the country in shops that stock Israeli goods.

In Cork, Galway, Castlebar, Westport and Limerick activists went to Marks and Spencer, Tesco, and SuperValu. They filled trollies with Israeli products, brought these to checkouts and made formal complaints about stocking goods that were helping to fund occupation, apartheid and the ongoing massacre in Gaza. All of these stores continue to stock numerous Israeli goods – from foods like dates and potatoes to wine and cosmetics. Meanwhile other shops, bars and other businesses are proclaiming their refusal to handle Israeli produce.

In Dublin groups conducted ‘die-ins’ at two Dead Sea stalls in the Jervis and Ilac Centres. They spoke to crowds of shoppers who gathered to watch the event about how the products sold in these stalls were sourced from occupied territories and amounted to war pillage – which is illegal under international law.

They then visited Toymaster to ask that the store stop stocking toys made by companies like Amav, Taf and Tiny Love whose profits helped to fund the massacre of more than 300 children in Gaza in the last month.

In all cases activists were respectful to the workers in the stores – who don’t decide what gets stocked. But the public response was terrific, with leaflets about the BDS movement received well and plenty of pledges to boycott Israeli goods in future.

Later that evening, as part of Gaza Action Ireland’s demonstration, hundreds of protestors marched down Grafton Street chanting “boycott Israel!” and received loud applause from people in pubs, shops and passing cars. Kevin Squires of the IPSC commented:

“Recent weeks have galvanised people to support the Palestinian cause. But the massacre in Gaza goes on, with another UN school bombed just this morning. The fight for justice will be long and require international solidarity. Thirty years since the famous Dunnes Stores strike we need to build a campaign of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions to help end Israeli apartheid.”

From this week the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) will be running rolling boycott actions on THURSDAYS around the country to crank up the pressure. Their contact ipsc.boycott@gmail.com.

You can also find information on what products to avoid and how to engage in consumer boycott yourself on the IPSC’s website or ask for details at the National Demonstration on Sat 9th August in Dublin’s O’Connell St. at 2pm (details here).

Comments

  1. Boaz Modai is not taking this boycott campaign well…we’re all racists now it seems.

  2. Not buying the products of a murdering terror state is racism? Boaz modai should pack his bags and go home!

  3. Where to start and where to end your boycott?

    Saw an article recently that recommended boycotting Marks and Spencer entirely. The article said the founders of M&S were huge supporters of Israel.

    Pressure on politicians seems like a better priority than pressuring retailers, but that’s just my opinion.

  4. “Israel in Ireland” good thing those folks werent around in 1916, otherwise we’d all be viewed as terrorists

  5. I replied to one of their sponsored ads earlier about how anti war crimes doesnt mean anti semetic. Instantly banned from their page. Lol

  6. Thank you Ireland!
    Great work!
    You are lovely people with good hearts helping people in Gaza Inferno.

  7. Ireland buys potatoes from Israel? Has the world gone mad!!

  8. Les pires ennemis des Palestiniens ne sont pas vraiment les sionistes, mais bien les fils de putes violées dans les états Arabes — Cette autre race de sionistes protègent Israël en s’attaquant a tout anti sioniste !

  9. PAC needs to investigate the DPP s office s running, the collusion and cronyism run office. Why dont they release the overpaid salaries the political appointed relatives/cronies DPP s officials are on, for working in an office also? they cant because the government has it hidden.

  10. What about all these Arab country’s near Palestine that sell half of the worlds oil and that a super rich , what are they doing and then the there other ones that are closing by that just close the borders so nobody can trade or escape like Jordan Egypt Syria . Don’t but all the blame in Israel it’s not all the fault

  11. You can easily bring the message home to retailers by taking israeli goods off the shelf and filling them into a shopping trolly. Then simply abandon the trolly in the store . The staff will be tied up restocking the shelves, the staff will have to report it to the owners, and it’s not illegal. Just say you forgot your wallet, if you choose to say anything at all.

  12. Rubbish yet you all buy and shop uk stores after what happened .yawn

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