Pro-Palestine campus protests ‘essential’ to democracy: Ben and Jerry’s board
The board of the ice cream brand owned by Unilever has said that the pro-Palestine protests sweeping US college campuses and graduation ceremonies are “essential” to democracy.
The Vermont-based frozen dairy dessert maker, sold on some college campuses, called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza in January.
“Lunch counter sit-ins, student-led protests against the Vietnam War and Apartheid South Africa, and now the campus protests in solidarity with Gaza, all are part of our rich history of free speech and non-violent protest that makes change and is essential to a strong democracy,” the independent board said in a statement.
Three years ago, Ben and Jerry’s announced it would stop selling its ice cream in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, saying it was “inconsistent” with its values, and leading parent company Unilever to look for a “new arrangement” for selling the ice cream in Israel.
Unilever then offloaded its Israeli Ben and Jerry’s business to a local licensee, keeping the ice cream for sale in the country.
University of Manchester sprayed with red paint in protest to Gaza war
The walls of the University of Manchester have been sprayed with red paint by activists protesting against the killing of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The Palestine Action network of activists said in a post that the move is also aimed at making the university divest from Israel.
BREAKING: The University of Manchester gets sprayed with red paint, symbolising their complicity in Palestinian bloodshed.
The university sends students to study on illegal Israeli settlements through its partnership with Hebrew University. They also partner with BAE Systems. pic.twitter.com/v5b1y5Y8R8
— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) May 13, 2024
Israel police reject Nakba Day event near Tel Aviv University: Report
Israeli police are refusing to issue a permit for a gathering of Palestinians to mark Nakba Day on Wednesday in the plaza outside Tel Aviv University, according to Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
It said this is the first time since the establishment of the annual event 12 years ago that the gathering is being denied a permit, and that organisers were not given an official reason for the refusal.
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