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…
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!!
In advance of the full meeting of the council and a day of action by hundred of workers across many sectors on Wednesday, we are wondering how the council will answer our questions:
on Israeli Apartheid , on the ICJ ruling, on the council’s relationship with Barclays Bank and on South Yorkshire Pension investments
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.
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:
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.
After the ICJ ruling, then the dust is thrown; suddenly the UK government halts all funding. Another form of collective punishment. We need to reinstate funding for UNWRA
On Friday, a vigil for Palestine with HealthCare workers for Palestine. On Saturday a boycott action. Details in images below
Boycott actions are a way of engaging people directly, talking to them about how their own purchasing choices can make an impact and hep bring them to account for their actions. Please joins us this Saturday.
Louise Haigh’s office on Chesterfield Road was once again the site of a protest on Friday (Jan 26th) as outraged Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Supporters once again demanded something better from the Heeley MP and Labour frontbencher. This was the second week in a row the local Heeley 4 Palestine group had taken to the streets.
We are pleased to say last week’s protest has been well written up in the Star so no need for us to go on about it :))
This follows a successful protests outside Jill Furniss’ office by Palestine Solidarity supporters in November and Paul Blumfield’s office too in December.
Friday 26th January:
🇵🇸 5pm. Join our protest outside Sheffield train station, calling for Ceasefire Now!
🇵🇸 6.30 pm. Health workers 4 Palestine will once again hold a vigil for all health workers massacred by Israel: all welcome, outside Sheffield Town hall.
Saturday 27th January:
📢 Building the Boycott 📢
🇵🇸 12.30 pm: join us for a local Boycott action: assemble outside Sheffield Town hall;
🇵🇸 2pm. After the action, come to the BDS workshop at the Central United reform church S1 2JB to discuss and plan effective ways to build the campaign to make Sheffield an Israeli Apartheid free city.
🇵🇸 Note: the next national demonstration in London will be Saturday 3rd Feb.
