Tag Archives: Boycott

Protest

Council Update

“our clear intention is to issue a cross party statement of solidarity in line with the petition.” (Tom Hunt council leader)

The presentation of the petition to the council on March 8th was met with a decision by the Full Council not to vote on the petition itself.

So , on Tuesday 12th March, we returned, this time to the Strategy and Resources Committee, to pursue this vital matter on behalf of the 7,500 and more people who signed the petition.

 We asked key questions and here is a very brief summary of the replies:

Q1. When and how will the petition be discussed by Strategy and Resources?

Not on April 12th meeting which falls within the purdah period (too close to local elections) and the issue is deemed “politically sensitive” but as soon as possible after the elections.

It will be considered in its separate component parts and the Committee with reach a decision on each part. Officers will need to give the Committee advice on matters such as legality.

Q2. When will the Cross-Party Group meet to draft the statement of “unity and solidarity” with Palestine, (as Sheffield Council did for Ukraine) and who will be on that Group?

This group will meet as soon as is possible, aiming to do so before the local elections.The group will be the party leaders: Tom Hunt (Labour), Shaffaq Mohammed (Lib Dem), Douglas Johnson (Green) and Diane Hurst (Sheffield Community Councillors group).

Tom Hunt assured us the group would not be partisan in any way.

the flag being flown by protesters on the town hall shortly after the assault on Gaza in 2023

Q3. Why is the flying of the Palestinian flag not included in the new Flag Policy being introduced by the Council, in particular, why is it not being flown on the United Nations Day of Solidarity with Palestine on November 29th, as has been done in the past?

The Palestinian flag will not be flown, in line with the new policy.

NOTE:  We are keeping up the pressure on our Council and will continue to do so. A good number of people came inside the meeting in support and a group outside kept up their chants, all of which could be heard inside as the meeting progressed.

The encouraging comment made by Tom Hunt, cited at the top of this short report is important and we trust this will be the case – never was a statement of solidarity needed more than in the midst of this genocide. We look forward to reading it!

Protest

STAND WITH PALESTINE! 23rd March rally

Join us at the amphitheatre behind Sheffield station on 23rd for a massive displays of flags to show solidarity with Palestine.

This is a South Yorkshire wide rally and march to the City Hall where we will have speakers from Sheffield PSC and other SY and Derbyshire groups.

Large flags (bring your own poles to raise them high) & medium flags available on the day: special event price £3/donation. Small flags free for children.

Campaign, Protest

Solidarity events 15th and 16th March

Join us please for two solidarity events this weekend. with people forced to starvation in the North of Gaza and the constant threat of a land force invasion of Rafah we must continue to stand with Palestinian people.

In particular the boycott action at Waitrose is essential. They have taken a commercialist position without morals. They seem to be happy to be complicit with a genocide we are witnessing today.

From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.

Uncategorized

We shut Barclays down today!

A group of campaigners went in to Barclays at midday today while others set up the 24 hour camp .

Very quickly Barclays management issued a notice to customers apologising for closing the branch “due to circumstances beyond their control” . This is of course not true. It is very much IN their control to disinvest from weapons factories sending arms to Israel. So this notice…

…got replaced quite quickly:

So the doorway is ours for a little while…

Campaign, News, Protest

Don’t bank on Barclays!!

Barclays is bankrolling Israel’s genocidal assault on Palestinians through its financial ties with arms companies that sell weapons to Israel.

We’re calling on all concerned people to boycott all Barclays services until the bank ends its complicity in Israel’s attacks on Palestinians.

IN SHEFFIELD, we are camping outside Barclays for 24 hours to draw attention to their complicity with genocide and to continue our demand for an Israeli Apartheid Free Zone in this great city.

Let’s not forget Sheffield’s great tradition of solidarity – from the anti slavery sugar boycott in the 1850s, solidarity with Chilean refugees in the 1970s and South African anti apartheid campaign in the 1980s when Barclays were boycotted before and paid the price!!

Campaign, Protest

The council MUST act now!

For 8 days two Palestinian women camped outside the Town Hall supported by many hundred of Sheffield people – who came to visit or stay with them throughout the day and night. They had three clear demands.

Lean (right) and Sahar (left) with Tyneside supporter Annabelle during the camp

The one demand in our grasp at a local level was that the council declare Sheffield an Israeli Apartheid Free zone and take action to ensure none of its operations can have ties with Israel. Please read this to find out what this means and what you can do.

On February 7th hundreds of people will take action for Gaza in their workplace while the council meets in full for the first time this year. In the wake of the ICJ ruling, surely it is time for the council to act:

Apartheid Free Zone now in Sheffield!

(Press release 30th January 2024)

Campaign, News, Protest

Excellent boycott action Saturday Feb 3rd

Over 100 people took part in a vibrant boycott action in Sheffield today: prepared with songs and good voice over 50 walked through Waitrose singing various boycott songs, including the new Cokebusters!

The crowd then moved on to Aldi – their staff did not seem to mind too much; Waitrose meanwhile had blocked all the isles and called the police – who remained at a respectful distance and enjoyed the concert.