Carmel Agrexco's Depot Shut Down in Commemoration of the Nakba
shut down agrexco | 23.06.2008 12:35 | Campaign against Carmel-Agrexco | Anti-militarism | Anti-racism | Palestine | London | South Coast | World
In the early hours of Saturday morning, activists occupied and shut-down the HQ and only UK freight warehouse of Carmel Agrexco - Israel's largest agricultural exporter from the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The occupation held for over 6 hours until they were forcibly removed at 12 noon.
During the occupation over 10 loading trucks intended for the warehouse were sent away. British supermarkets - accounting for 60% of Carmel-Agrexco's total exports - had some of their orders affected. The Israeli government has a 50% stake in the company. Exports include flowers, avocados and herbs grown in illegal Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land.
Newswire: Israeli Owned Agrexco Warehouse Shut Down | Carmel occupied! Israeli settlement exporter shut down| Video of Police Forcibly removing Activists but Failing to Make Arrests
Previous Actions: Fortress Carmel Agrexco breached by Peace Activists | Video - Carmel Agrexco protest during Camp for Climate Action | Weekend of Action Against Carmel Agrexco | Activists Blockade Carmel-Agrexco's UK Headquarters for the Third Time | International Actions against Israeli Apartheid
Further reading: Text of letter to Carmel-Agrexco | Report on Carmel's involvement in the Jordan Valley | War on Want's report: Profiting from the Occupation
Links: Palestine Solidarity Campaign | The Big Campaign | ISM London | ISM Palestine
Early in the morning activists occupied and shut down operations at the Carmel Agrexco warehouse near Heathrow Airport by D-locking themselves to gates and to a lorry within the compound. Two activsts locked to a vehicle barrier, one to a truck and one to a main gate. Others climbed on top of the truck to further immobilise any loading or unloading work, and suspended banners. The Israeli flag that usually flies over the Carmel compound was removed and replaced with a black flag in mourning for the people of Gaza.
Israeli security guards threatened and physically attacked activists repeatedly throughout the occupation. Collusion between the police and the company was apparent througout the day. While ignoring the security guard assaults the police chose instead to drag the protestors supporters away from the scene.
Yet again, the police made no arrests after the action. When asked why the sergeant said that the order came from 'higher up.' We can only assume that the company does not want an embarassing court case in which they would have to disclose information on their illegal business.
Agrexco's harvesting and sale of goods from illegal settlements built in Occupied Territories has been enabled by eviction, murder and theft of resources - considered "war crimes" under the International Criminal Courts Act 2001. As such, Agrexco's business of importing fresh produce is "unlawful business".
Tom Hayes said 'Agrexco is responsible for human rights crimes against the Palestinian people. The British supermarkets which buy produce from Agrexco are also complicit. Handling stolen goods is an offence whether the offender is a supermarket or an agribusiness. Agrexco must be held liable for its "unlawful business".'
The action was timed to commemorate 60 years since the Palestinian 'Nakba' (Catastrophe) - the theft of Palestinian land, massacres, expulsions and creation of over 700,000 refugees with the founding of the state of Israel in 1948.
Many of the activists participating have spent time living in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and witnessed first hand extra judicial killings, collective punishment and wilful damage of land, property and infrastructure.
shut down agrexco
Additions
More video of action
23.06.2008 18:54
avo
3 interesting things about the action
23.06.2008 23:00
2) At least one Stop and Search note (everyone was SUSsed afterwards) contained the definition of the search as 'suspect had committed aggravated trespass' - the police knew exactly which charge, according to the Law and police protocol, would normally have been applied, even going so far as to write it on the search form! Well, this was early in the morning for them and they had no sleep and nowt but drizzle and huddled activists singing and playing charades and waving banners intermitently at passing trains to look at.
3) One police officer was asked, 'why havent you arrested any of us? What would you do if a load of activists locked on to your work vehicle in your driveway and prevented you from doing your business!!'? He replied, 'Its not in the public interest', to which he was asked, 'what do you mean the public interest?' He said, 'It has been decided that you shouldnt be arrested because its not in the public interest'. 'According to who? Who decides whats in the public interest?', he said to that, 'Its above my station, It goes all the way to the top', to which he was asked, 'What, so Ian Blair (Police Commisioner of London) has decided we shouldnt be arrested?'. He said, 'Yeah, him, and further up', all the way up to the top'. So, it would appear to be not just police and Agrexco security guards colluding, but government ministers/authorities too, to keep Agrexco's unlawful business of handling stolen goods, out of the public eye. But its too interesting and essential to expose to be kept out of the public eye, which is why we need to keep up the pressure until it gets there and we all partcipate in the shutting down of Agrexco and its' role in perpetuating and profiting from the occupation.
One way we can reclaim this definition of 'public interest' is by taking sustained direct action and pushing this campaign forward and making getting it onto action, media and movement agendas.
Lets do it, we can do it!
xxx
WeCanShutDown Agrexco!
Comments
Hide the following 6 comments
good action
23.06.2008 15:20
I also wonder why activists haven't picked up on this collusion you are talking about between the police and the company? For example, indymedia film activists don't seem to have come to any of your actions. Is there a reason why? And how can I can I get involved?
supporting
shh
25.06.2008 03:14
p
Re: Fact checker
26.06.2008 15:06
MonkeyBot 5000
Video
28.06.2008 01:06
J
Direct action.
28.06.2008 08:20
Probably having a Palestinian Queens Council representing the original activists in the magistrates court has a bit of bearing upon the present situation.
You can push on for years in a similar fashion, producing similar results.
Or you can increase the level of Non violent direct action.
To get the British out of America, I seem to remember tea was dropped from boats and to fight British imperialism in India, various tactics involving breaking the mechanisms of production were deployed.
By increasing the lock on's to something else you will get arrested and you will get a court case.
The Israeli goods coming into the Country flout international law, although activists have been disrupting activities at Agrexco for 4-5 years now it hasn't really stopped the import or these goods.
Pete
BRITAIN TO BE DESTROYED...
01.07.2008 19:53
Together with Sir Ken Macdonald - another Scot - he was in Cherie Blair's Matrix [Law] Chambers at Gray's Inn - although he specialised in Defence work - not Prosecution work.
Another prominent Scot is the Chief of the Defence Forces - Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup GCB AFC ADC FRAeS FCMI RAF Principal Military Adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence Scotsman Des Browne.
The Scots took over control of the Labour Party - undermined Labour Party - undermined UK Government
Douglas ALEXANDER - International Development Secretary [giving money to other countries so they buy UK weapons and control their countries by perpetrating the same old tactics that the UK specialises in - Human Rights atrocities + oppression and tyranny] [£138,724 + generous allowances] [his sister Wendy Alexander worked in George Galloway's office as Labour MP - she was Chair of Labour MPs who helped propel:
the Freemason Scot James Gordon BROWN [£189,994 per year + generous allowances] into Downing Street]
Alistair DARLING [£138,724 + generous allowances] - Chancellor of the Exchequer,
Des BROWNE [£138,724 per year + generous allowances][Scotland and Defence (being run down - as schools, universities, education, hospitals, prisons, police and all state public sector)]
But behind Scots are the Investment Bankers
James Gordon Brown PhD is a FREEMASON
His Political Secretary is Sue Nye [Jewish] - but her real name is Mrs Davies!
Her husband - Gavyn Davies [Jewish] - was a [very Labour Party supporting] Director of the International Jewish Goldman Sachs Investment Bank in London - which is controlled by David Rockefeller [Jewish].
In Gordon Brown's cabinet, 4 (four) of the 22 members (18 %) are Scots MPs. In 2001, five of the 20 members the cabinet (25 %) represented Scottish constituencies compared to 55 MPs out of 416 (13 %) in the parliamentary party.
The over-representation was partly explained by the fact that Ministers are generally recruited from senior MPs. In 1983, Scottish MPs accounted for 50/229 (21.8 %) of the parliamentary party.
Scottish John Reid PhD, an MP sitting for a Scottish constituency, had responsibility for Health in England and Wales. Responsibility for Health in Scotland has been devolved to the Scottish Parliament.
After 2005 election, four of the 22 ministers in the cabinet (18 %) represented Scottish constituencies with a further Scottish MP, Douglas Alexander attending cabinet meetings. Later promoted to become a full cabinet member.
BBC chairman Sir Michael Lyons [Jewish][Appointed by UK Prime Minister][Political Nepotism!] has stressed that the Corporation [the BBC] will be smaller and more "distinctive" five years from now. Why? Ready to be PRIVATISED! [He is following orders - that way he gets his huge bonuses - as do the "stars" like the massively overpaid Jonathan Ross [Jewish] who tend to be predominantly Jewish: entertainers + music "stars" + those who constantly appear in the media portrayed as "hedonistic whores" like Kate Moss + Amy Winehouse through the refracted filter of the Jewish controlled media)(+ Jewish controlled entertainment Agents) who seem to conduct business as if there are no Goyim (gentile) talent?].
Hospitals, Schools, Prisons, Police, Armed Services [are now being broken on two fronts+] etc are all up for grabs in Britain's bargain basement sell off to those who appoint a minister who engineers the sell off to the tendering company as long as that dodgy Labour Party minister is appointed to the Board of Directors that tenders the "correct" amount by "competitive" "open" tender for the dodgy contracts!
So much corruption in the Labour Party - you just couldn't make it up!
Now we know why there were strict unattainable standards - for schools, hospitals, prisons, police, etc ready to be sold off (PRIVATISATION)!
Gordon Brown's government is getting ready for the bargain basement sell off of ALL British public sector assets to the highest bidder! [Recently Brown went to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to try to flog off the dirty nuclear radioactivity producing Nuclear plants to the king of Saudi Arabia.
If we were king of Saudi Arabia we would tell him firmly: "On yer bike - go back to the land of the Jocks!" What's more - no more taking away other people's FREEDOMS & stop causing OPPRESSION & colonising others like IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN & (the planned) invasion of IRAN!
Harriet Harman [Jewish] [married to Jack Dromey [Labour Party Treasurer] - head of Transport & General Workers Union who sponsors MPs] Harriet Harman was appointed Leader of the House of Commons, Minister for Women and Labour Party Chair in June 2007 She is Deputy Prime Minister!
[Jack Dromey's comments that David Abrahams' (Jewish) donations were 'absolutely wrong' echo the bombshell he dropped on Tony Blair's administration in March 2006].
Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs Rt Hon David MILIBAND, MP [Jewish] [He has a brother, ED MILIBAND who is also in the Cabinet].
Secretary of State for Justice (Constitutional Affairs until June 2007) Rt Hon Jack STRAW, MP [Jewish]
Minister for the Cabinet Office & for Social Exclusion & Chancellor of the Duchy of
Lancaster Rt Hon Ed MILIBAND [Jewish], MP £138,724 [+ generous allowances]
[He has a brother, DAVID MILIBAND who is also in the Cabinet].
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Rt Hon Yvette Cooper, [Jewish] MP £138,724 [+ generous allowances] [Wife of Ed Miliband (Jewish)][Both are in the Cabinet].
Minister for the Olympics & London and Paymaster General - Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP [Jewish] £101,713 [+ generous allowances] Her real name - Mrs David MILLS [Casino adviser to head of the 'Mafia' Silvio Berluconi + member of Propaganda Due (Propaganda Two Masonic Lodge)(Gordon Brown is also a very senior Freemason)]
Minister for Housing - Caroline Flint - Her real name - Mrs Phil Cole.
Minister for Africa, Asia & the UN Sir Mark Malloch Brown KCMG, Lord Malloch Brown [JEWISH] [Deputy Secretary General of the UN - member of MI6 - Jewish link to International Banking]
Rt Hon Baroness Scotland of Asthal QC - Attorney General - from Dominica, Caribbean
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) - Scotsman Sir Ken Macdonald was appointed from Cherie Blair's Chambers Matrix Chambers. Cherie Blair recommended him to Tony Blair [29 (twenty nine) Connaught Square (near Marble Arch, London) - link to Freemasonry - as Tony (ACL Blair) is a very senior Freemason] as an excellent {?} DPP, as his background was in Defence work not in Prosecution work.
Hierarchy.
The "Royal Family" - Foreign imports with no connection to Anglo Saxons - live in the British Isles. [Saxe Coburg Gotha imports].
CHURCH has been broken by Prime Ministerial appointments [Archbishops + Bishops of Church of England]!
ARMY has been broken - to be replaced by Mercenaries that are not accountable to the public taxpayers who are being bled dry to extinction!
Upper Class people in Britain - all but been destroyed - by marrying in to their British dynasties bloodlines by the wealthy daughters of Jewish International bankers who now TOTALLY control the UK [& US]. [Compare with Madonna (daughter of wealthy Jewish family - whose music was heavily promoted) and poor British husband from a British dynastic family - Guy Ritchie (his mother is Lady Amber Leighton)!]
Middle Class people in Britain - all but been destroyed by contracting work out to other countries -but the real threat is not the foreign workers but the International [Jewish] Banks!!!
Lower Class people in Britain - all but been destroyed by Foreign Workers - but the real threat is not the foreign workers but the International [Jewish] Banks!!!
David Rockefeller [146 East 65 Street, New York] is the man that controls the Council of Foreign Relations, Trilateral Commission, Bohemian Club of New York, Bohemian Grove of California and the Bilderberg Group.
Dick Cheney [Jewish - CFR member], Donald Rumsfeld [Jewish - CFR member], Paul Wolfowitz [Jewish - CFR member], Douglas Feith, [Jewish - CFR member], Donald Perle [Jewish - CFR member].
ALL members that are the true executive of the US government are controlled by David Rockefeller of 146 East 65 Street, New York, NY 10021
David Rockefeller of 146 East 65 Street, New York, NY 10021 is in charge of the US ’shadow government’. He indirectly decides who will be the next US president!
George Walker Bush (’43′) was selected by David Rockefeller and bankrolled to win the US [s]election.
The electorate only endorse the pre-arranged candidates - they do not elect - the few that control the cartel of bankers fulfil the task of selection of candidates!
JPMorganChase is controlled by David Rockefeller of 146 East 65 Street, New York 10021
David Rockefeller controls the Council on Foreign Relations [CFR] who control the cartel of private US international banks that control the US [private] Federal Reserve.
David Rockefeller decides when the time is right to crash the economy, to increase US Interest Rates or when it is time to create a Recession. That time is very fast approaching.
mark
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