Boycott Puma!

By New Worker correspondent

Members and supporters of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) were out in force last Saturday, protesting outside sportswear company Puma’s flagship store in London’s West End. The demonstration in Carnaby Street, near Oxford Circus, greatly slashed the numbers entering the store. A much smaller but extremely rowdy pro-Israeli counter-protest certainly also helped to deter shoppers with its loud music, endless slogans, fanatical dancing and waving of flags in the faces of passers-by.

The PSC is targeting Puma as the main corporate backer of Israel’s football association, which includes teams from illegal Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land. More than 200 Palestinian sports clubs have called on Puma to end the sponsorship deal and stop supporting Israel’s illegal land grabs.

This is part of an ongoing response to the call from the Palestinian civil society in 2005 for a campaign of Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions (BDS) against Israel until it respects human rights and international law.

Puma is the main sponsor of the Israel Football Association (IFA), which includes football clubs based in illegal Israeli settlements on stolen Palestinian land. All Israeli settlements are considered war crimes under international law.

As one of the world’s top sports-kit makers, Puma’s sponsorship brings international legitimacy to the IFA and helps maintain its direct involvement with violations of human rights and international law off the field.

Take action and support the call from more than 200 Palestinian teams for Puma to end its support for Israel’s military occupation by terminating its sponsorship deal with the IFA.