News / Palestine
Bristol Apartheid-Free Zone thought to be Europe’s largest grassroots boycott campaign
More than 4,000 people and dozens of organisations across our city have signed up to the Bristol Apartheid-Free Zone pledge.
BAFZ’s campaign aims to pressure businesses into cutting ties with Israel and is believed to have become Europe’s largest grassroots boycott campaign.
The campaign is partly inspired by the success of the St Paul’s Apartheid-Free Zone which organised a boycott of goods linked to South African apartheid in the 1980s and led to the creation of similar zones across the UK ahead of the eventual fall of apartheid rule in South Africa.
People and organisations that have signed the BAFZ pledge are boycotting Israeli products and produce in solidarity with Palestinians.
The latest to join the campaign is Watershed, aligning with other businesses including Better Food and individuals such as Bristol Central MP and former Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer.
“History shows that boycotts work,” said BAFZ’s Stephen Beresford.
“Every shop and household that drops Israeli goods is a victory for justice, and one that helps send a message to our politicians that local people won’t stand for their complicity in apartheid violence.”
The Palestine flag is now flying from the balcony of Watershed – photo: Watershed
During the summer, Watershed was asked by their staff branch of the BECTU union to sign the BAFZ pledge, with its eventual signing said to be “the culmination of a thorough board review of how this action relates to our mission and of any unintended consequences of the action”.
The cinema’s bosses say that “it is highly aligned with our ethical procurement policy and is supported by our board of trustees”.
Watershed CEO Clare Reddington said: “Our audiences have shown us time and again that they engage more deeply and visit more often more when we centre our values in decision-making, so it also supports the delivery of mission and charitable purpose.”
Cinema programmer, Steph Read, stressed that Watershed will continue to support Palestinian films and filmmaking through their programme.
Read added: “Film is a vital medium for sharing the realities of conflict and opening a window into oppression, and this role has rarely felt so pressing as now.”
Main photo: Bristol Apartheid-Free Zone
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