Boycott Israel Flash Mob in Jervis Shopping Centre
dublin |
rights, freedoms and repression |
news report 
Saturday September 19, 2009 14:53
by David L (text) and Adele J King (photos) - IPSC
Today, Saturday 19th September, activists from the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC)
organised a flash mob in Dublin city centre as part of the international campaign of boycott against Israel. The action was targeted against Dead Sea Spa, an Israeli cosmetics firm which has a stall in Jervis Centre in Dublin. The protest coincided with an international day of action against Israeli cosmetics companies, many of whom are based in illegal West Bank Settlements.
The activists from the IPSC, wearing ‘Boycott Israel’ t-shirts, surrounded the Dead Sea Spa stall on the top floor in Jervis Street shopping centre in Dublin, displaying placards that read ‘Boycott Israel. Boycott Dead Sea products’ and ‘Stop Israeli Apartheid. Boycott Israeli products’. After a few minutes the crowd left in a procession through the main aisle, chanting as they went and holding placards and Palestinian flags. While the protest was peaceful, one of the security guards assaulted a female protestor as she was leaving, elbowing her painfully in the back. A Jervis centre security guard also verbally threatened a camerawomen filming the protest outside on the street. Gardai have been notified about the incidents and a video of the protest should be available soon.
Once outside, the IPSC activists proceeded to leaflet the entrance to Jervis Street centre, asking shoppers to boycott Israeli products and the Dead Sea Spa company, receiving a great response from passers-by.
Dead Sea Spa is one of the most noticeable Israeli cosmetic companies operating in Ireland, having stalls in several Irish supermarkets, often staffed by ex-Israeli soldiers. If a product is advertised as being from the Dead Sea, there is a high chance it comes from an illegal Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Some of the Israeli cosmetic products that originate from the Dead Sea are L’Oreal Israel, Dead Sea Spa, Ahava, -417 and Temsa. The IPSC is planning to continue its campaign against Dead Sea Products in the run up to Christmas
As part of the campaign IPSC is encouraging the public to write to the management of shopping centres where Dead Sea Spa have stalls and complain about the presence of these companies that profit from the misery and dispossession of Palestinians. There is a sample letter available on the IPSC website at http://ipsc.ie/dsbp/
