LIBERTÀ. GIUSTIZIA. UGUAGLIANZA.

Boicottaggio, Disinvestimento e Sanzioni per i diritti del popolo palestinese.

On March 6, 2010 the Stop Agrexco Roma committee, along with representatives of other local associations, organized their first action for a boycott of Carmel-Agrexco, the main Israeli exporter of products from the occupied Palestinian territories.

The group gathered at the main entrance of the local covered Trionfale market and staged a street theater initiative. Several activists were disguised as Carmel-Agrexco representatives, encouraging consumers to buy "Carmel" avocados stained with blood. On the other side of the entrance, a dozen anti-Agrexco activists contested the representatives and handed out leaflets calling for a boycott of Carmel-Agrexco produce and informed market customers as well as the produce vendors. In the middle of the two groups, two activists dressed as giant Carmel brand avocados.

That day 700 leaflets were distributed and customers of the market demonstrated significant interest.

The date fell during the campaign period for upcoming regional elections and several representatives of right and left of center political parties were also present. The activists provided them with information on the Stop Agrexco campaign.

After about an hour the police arrived, and while showing some signs of amusement, told the activists that this was an unauthorized demonstration and they should limit their actions to distributing leaflets. However, they still managed to keep up the street theatre for a couple of hours until the last of the leaflets had been given out.

This was part of a coordinated day of action calling for the boycott of Carmel-Agrexco with events in Pisa, Italy and Sete (Montpellier, France).