Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Liked on YouTube: London Protest Demands Puma End Complicity In Apartheid War Crimes

London Protest Demands Puma End Complicity In Apartheid War Crimes

#BoycottPuma #REFORM #ThirdSalute #BDS On Friday 15th February 2019, Inminds Human Rights Group protested outside Puma's London flagship store on Carnaby Street to demand Puma stop its complicity in Israel's war crimes by it sponsorship of apartheid Israel Football Association, which includes football clubs based in illegal Israeli settlements, and which plays its football games on stolen Palestinian land in the West Bank. The protest was in solidarity with over 215 Palestinian sports clubs which on 10th September 2018 called on the world’s third largest sportswear manufacturer, Puma to respect Palestinian human rights and cut ties with the Israel Football Association. Inminds chair Abbas Ali said "Last year we protested outside Adidas flagship store in London, in solidarity with 130 Palestinian sports clubs who had requested Adidas to stop supporting apartheid war crimes. After sustaining much brand damage Adidas stopped. Rather than learn from that experience, Puma has instead taken over from Adidas and signed a 4 year contract to lend its brand to cover up and whitewash the very same war crimes, which the illegal settlements constitute under international law. Illegal settlements built on stolen Palestinian land are normalised and legitimised by Puma through its sponsorship. This time 215 Palestinian sports clubs have asked Puma to respect their human rights. So far Puma has just ignored them. Sports is about fair play, Puma through its apartheid sponsorship is promoting racism. "Last October Puma launched its 'universal equality' #REFORM campaign to mark the 50th anniversary of Tommie Smith and John Carlos’s black power, raised fist, salute at the 1968 Olympics, to protest racism and injustice against African-Americans in the United States. Whilst we celebrate Tommie Smith and John Carlos’s courageous commitment to social justice, and sacrifice for the oppressed, we ask them today to once again raise his fists for the oppressed - for the Palestinians. Puma cannot promote 'universal equality' whilst sponsoring apartheid war crimes in Palestine. We urge Puma to heed this call from the oppressed Palestinians and to stop its complicity in Israeli war crimes! "We are here to tell Puma that there is a price associated with standing with apartheid. Their complicity in Israeli war crimes will cost their brand dearly. We are here to ask Londoners to help Puma make the right decision by boycotting their products until they respect Palestinian human rights. " Full Report: http://bit.ly/2VDYdlk
via YouTube https://youtu.be/-r3ObnvlMzc

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