PRESS STATEMENT: Israeli Ice Hockey World Cup Game Disrupted (with marbles and red paint)
 
Palestinian activists, led by the NC4P, BDS South Africa, PSA, COSAS, the ANCYL and others successfully protested the Israeli Ice Hockey World Cup Game yesterday evening in Cape Town . Marbles were released on the ice as well as red colouring to reflect the blood of the thousands of Palestinians who suffer under Israel’s Apartheid government (see attached photos). The protests resulted in an embarassing over 45 min delay in the Israeli game (click here for news reports).

The protests and disruption against Israel's Ice Hockey game yesterday evening was carried out in the same spirit of the protests undertaken against Apartheid South Africa's rugby and cricket teams which were also protested, disrupted and prevented from playing during the 1980s (see here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3Idu4mXO34).

In 2005, with Israel's increasing occupation, human rights abuses and violations of international law, Palestinians called on the international community to support a non-violent campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel until Israel complies with international law and respects human rights. The BDS campaign against Israel is inspired by the successful boycott and isolation of Apartheid South Africa. The expulsion of South African teams from international sports bodies contributed to the successful isolation of Apartheid South Africa during the 1980s. The same call is now being made to expel Israeli sports teams from international sports bodies until Israel ends its human rights abuses and violations of international law.

BDS South Africa together with our partner organisations in the larger BDS movement are clear in our call on the South African Ice Hockey Association (SAIHA) and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to expel the Ice Hockey Federation of Israel from the IIHF until Israel ends its Apartheid policies, violations of international law and human rights abuses against the Palestinians. Until then, the protests and disruptions will continue, we declare: "no normal sports with an abnormal society."

 

A major protest is being planned for another upcoming Israeli Ice Hockey game this Sunday the 19th of March also in Cape Town.

 

 

BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS AGAINST ISRAEL IN SOUTH AFRICA (BDS SOUTH AFRICA)
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