A BDS Legal Victory – Jerusalem Quartet protestors cleared of racism
Occupied Palestine - The BNC is delighted to hear that the five Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC) activists who have facedcharged with racially motivated conduct legal charges following their protest at a Jerusalem Quartet concert have been cleared of all charges. The BNC would like to take this opportunity to salute each of the five courageous activists, SPSC and all BDS activists who are resisting the efforts of Israel lobby groups that have resorted to legal intimidation and abuse of anti-racism laws as the last resort to suppress the rapid growth of the BDS movement. This is a victory that we should all celebrate!
The activists interrupted a concert held by the Jerusalem Quartet – who have historical links with the IDF and are renowned cultural ambassadors for the State of Israel – with shouts of “boycott Israel” and “end the siege on Gaza”. The action took place as part of a growing movement demanding a campaign of boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel until it complies with international law.
Sheriff James Scott ruled that “the comments were clearly directed at the State of Israel, the Israeli Army, and Israeli Army musicians” and not “citizens of Israel” per se. “The procurator fiscal’s attempts to squeeze malice and ill will out of the agreed facts were rather strained,” he added.
This unequivocal ruling is a substantial victory for the BDS movement, and for the advancement of peaceful political protest of Israel’s grave violations of international and humanitarian law, and of the right to freedom of expression in general. The ruling will undoubtedly have repercussions on the present legal challenges to BDS in Canada, France and elsewhere.
The BNC wishes to make clear its intention to work alongside repressed activists and legal experts in a concerted effort to emulate this victory wherever there are legal challenges to BDS. It is unacceptable that solidarity activists with anti-racism at the core of their motivation for involvement in the movement are being targeted through abuse of anti-racism legislation. Legal systems must be used to enforce international laws, not persecute those who work to ensure that they are upheld.