PRESS RELEASE: Woolworths threat to take legal action against BDS South Africa

"ludicrous"

The Palestine solidarity and human rights organization, BDS South Africa, consider the
threats made by Woolworths to take legal action against our organization and against the
organizers of the growing #BoycottWoolworths camaign as ludicrous! BDS South Africa,
the "ational #oalition $ Palestine, #%SAT&, SA#P, '#(, A"# 'outh (eague and )arious
other organizations ha)e called for a boycott of Woolworths until it ends its *+, million trade
relations with -srael! The termination of relations with -srael is called for as art of the
international non.)iolent boycott, di)estment and sanctions /BDS0 against -srael camaign
which seeks to eacefully isolate -srael until -srael resects international law and Palestinian
human rights! The BDS camaign is insired by the successful isolation of Aartheid South
Africa!

Firstly the accusation that staff members of BDS South Africa ha)e acted in a )iolent way
towards the staff of Woolworths is ludicrous! -f there was any truth to the statement
Woolworths should ha)e gone to the local authorities like the SA Police Ser)ices and laid
charges! The fact that Woolworths has not laid charges makes their threat susicious . they
are simly trying to besmirch the good name of BDS South Africa! -t is irresonsible for
Woolworths, a ma1or cororation, to sread such mis.truths in the media and to make such
accusations against a non.)iolent, eaceful human rights organization such as BDS South
Africa!

Secondly to try and suress singing, dancing, flashmobs and rotest actions outside stores
of Woolworths because Woolworths is uncomfortable is essentially a suression and denial
of our freedom to rotest! %ur forefathers fought hard for the right to rotest and we will not
be intimidated by a cororation like Woolworths! We condemn all forms of )iolence but
mantain that we ha)e not embarked on )iolent action!

!hirdly let us remind Woolworths, the rotests against Aartheid were ne)er the roblem or
the crime! The crime and roblem was Aartheid! (ikewise, the roblem is not the non.
)iolent eaceful rotests against Woolworths! The roblem is Woolworths trade relationshi
with -srael a country many of our senior leaders including Archbisho Desmond Tutu and
others ha)e comared to Aartheid South Africa!

Fourthly it is an out.right lie that Woolworths has been oen to meeting and resol)ing this
issue with BDS South Africa! To date Woolworths has refused to meet with BDS South
Africa and this is concerning for a comany such as Woolworths that claims to resect
communities, )arious )iewoints and conduct their business resonsibly!

Fifthly whilst the South African 2o)ernment may not as yet ha)e initiated a formal boycott
against -srael we ha)e the ruling arty of the country, the A"#, calling for a full boycott of
-srael by its highest decision making body, the A"# "3#! This A"# olicy will now become
State olicy! 4owe)er regardless of whether 2o)ernment has a formal boycott of -srael
osition, let us ask Woolworths, if it was comany based in, say, the &5, during aartheid,
would Woolworths ha)e adoted the osition that their resonsibility ends with what the &5
go)ernment aroach is to Aartheid6 Would Woolworths not ha)e resected the South
African liberation struggle7s call for a boycott of Aartheid South African goods /regardless
of whether the &5 2o)ernment had called for that boycott or not06 To boycott -srael is not a
crime or against any 2o)ernment olicy!

We ha)e engaged with )arious workers of Woolworths who ha)e fully lent their suort to
this camaign! We mantain that the resonsibility to find an amicable solution lies with
Woolworths! The cororation, not the rotests, are the roblem! We reiterate that this issue
can easily be resol)ed! Woolworths can meet with BDS South Africa, end the sourcing of
roducts from -srael /and rather choose to source those roducts either locally or from other
countries0! We are only, as BDS South Africa, engaging in non.)iolent rotest action due to
Woolworths refusal to meet with us and to heed the call to end its relations with -srael!

We trust that media that are co)ing this issue will co)er the )iewoint of BDS South Africa
and not 1ust that of the cororation, Woolworths! "lick here to watch a #ideo of a recent
$BoycottWoolworths flash%o&: htt':((tinyurl)co%(%*+#t#o
,SS-ED B. /-0A//ED DESA, 12 BE0ALF 1F BDS S1-!0 AFR,"A