Second Day of Action Against Israeli Company Importing Valentine's Day Flowers

Sunday 11th February 2007

PRESS RELEASE

SECOND DAY OF ACTION AGAINST ISRAELI COMPANY IMPORTING VALENTINE'S DAY FLOWERS

CARMEL-AGREXCO BLOCKADED

Photos/Interviews, Call 07845039980, email

thewallmustfall@riseup.net

Thirteen Palestine solidarity protesters from London and Brighton are
blockading the UK base of an Israeli agricultural export company Agrexco
(UK) Ltd, Swallowfield Way, Hayes, Middlesex.

This is the second day of action against Agrexco on one of their busiest
weekends of the year. Agrexco are dealing with large amounts of Israeli
flowers in the build up to Valentine's Day. On Saturday over a hundred
protesters stood in front of the gates of the depot and deliveries had to
be rescheduled.

Agrexco is Israel’s largest exporter of agricultural produce into the
European Union, and is 50% Israeli state owned. It imports produce from
illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

This morning activists locked themselves to both gates of the Hayes depot.
They were met with violence by privates security guards from First Class
Protection. The blockade is currently stopping all motor vehicle traffic
in and out of the building.

Before taking part in this action many of the defendants had witnessed
first hand the suffering of Palestinian communities under the brutal
Israeli occupation. They do not accept the UK's complicity in the illegal
occupation of Palestine and see the presence of this company as a
violation of human rights.

BACKGROUND

Carmel-Agrexco is 50% owned by the state of Israel, and imports produce
from illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. At the same time
Israeli forces have blocked Palestinian exports on grounds of ‘security’.

Israeli state sponsored settlements have appropriated land and water
resources by military force from Palestinian farmers in a deliberate
policy of colonial settlement.

In a hearing in September the judge ruled that Agrexco (UK) must prove
that their business is lawful.

thewallmustfall

Additions

three arrests

11.02.2007 10:04

three people have been arrested for obstruction of the highway

the depot was shut down for several hours on one of Agrexco's busiest days s of the year. Several trucks were prevented from entering the depot

thewallmustfall

Release on bail

11.02.2007 19:04

The arrestees have been released on police bail pending charge

Well done to all involved

thewallmustfall

Comments

Hide the following 4 comments

nice one

11.02.2007 22:52

Good action! Nice one to all those involved!

also, good luck to those that where brave enought to be arrest for standing up for the rights of the palestinians!

Any photos, etc availible?

tipobarra

Minister of Propaganda

17.02.2009 12:36

You girls are worse than communists Minister of Propaganda :) reading your articles and comments is like experiencing completely different event. So far I remember there was only ONE girl who managed to lock herself into unused barrier lol not for long as after about 30min she was cut off from the barrier by agrexco caretaker. Some of the girls were arrested for aggravated trespass and criminal damage but because Agrexco doesn't want to waste their time suing silly kids they said to police shortly that they will not press charges. The girls could go away with a caution but as experience protesters they stretched their luck again and were charge for obstruct pc, sec 5, and assault PC. well done ;)

has anybody got a video from the event ?

Mac
mail e-mail: lebaski@hotmail.com