Palestine Video: Sydney protest against attempts to silence the Australian BDS movement

23.8.11

Palestine Video: Sydney protest against attempts to silence the Australian BDS movement A protest took place for activists arrested for their involvement in boycott Israel activities. A number of groups have been formed in Australia dedicated the call for boycott, divestment and sanctions, or BDS, from a broad cross-section of Palestinian organisations in 2005.



On July 1st the Victorian police launched what protesters described as an unprovoked attack on a peaceful demonstration outside the Max Brenner cafe in Melbourne. 19 people were arrested in what protesters believe is an attempt to intimidate the BDS, which has been growing in Australia. Two Sydney activists were arrested on July 9 at a similar protest. The activists face up to $32,000 in fines. On Tuesday 9th August, 4 of the arrested activists in Melbourne were re-arrested in dawn raids for allegedly breaching their bail conditions by attending another BDS protest. $18,000 in surety had to be paid before the police would release them.

On August 8, the Victorian government asked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, or ACCC, to investigate calls for a consumer boycott of the Israeli-owned Max Brenner chocolate shop to determine whether the boycott campaign is in breach of Commonwealth law.



The Victorian government has named the five Palestine solidarity groups involved in the BDS protests as potentially being in breach of section 45d of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 in the belief the groups had either organised, supported the BDS campaign or taken part in the July 1 action. Those claims are yet to be tested.

Max Brenner has been the target of BDS protests globally for its support for the Israeli military. Max Brenner is owned by the Strauss group, one of Israel's largest confectionary companies. Strauss Group, which recently highlighted its "adoption" of the Golani Reconnaissance platoon and other Israeli soldiers on its website, has taken down its support for the Israeli military.