Action Alert

Giro d’Italia: International Day of Action to #RelocateTheRace – March 10, 2018

Calls are mounting for the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the governing body of cycling, to take action to relocate the start of the famed Giro d’Italia cycling race from Israel.

Race organizers RCS MediaGroup are set to cash in with a reported 10 million euro payoff from Israel to host the 2018 Giro start May 4-7.

In exchange, RCS has been actively aiding the Israeli government in falsely portraying occupied East Jerusalem as part of Israel and its “unified capital,” joining US President Donald Trump in going against the entire international community.

UCI is not only standing idly by as one of its top races is used to cover up Israel’s violations of international law and Palestinian human rights, it also turns its head as the Israel Cycling Federation and the Israeli cycling team sponsor and participate in races through the occupied Palestinian territory.

Let’s step up pressure on professional cycling! Join the
International Day of Action to #RelocateTheRace – March 10, 2018

Israel has long borrowed from the playbook of the apartheid regime in South Africa, using sports to hide its decades-long military occupation and apartheid system imposed on the Palestinian people.

More than 120 human rights organizations representing millions, Palestinian Christian networks, renowned jurists, Palestinian officials, and members of European Parliament have all called for the race to be moved.

Join us on March 10 to tell UCI and Giro d’Italia that we ride on the wheels of justice!

  • Organize a bike rally in your city. Involve local cycling groups.  
  • Hold a protest at the headquarters of your country’s cycling federation, of participating teams or sponsors.
  • Get creative! Organize street theatre on two wheels, an obstacle course with checkpoints and settlements.
  • Include the Giro d’Italia in events for Israeli Apartheid Week.
  • Spread the word on social media! Share sample tweets, videos and memes below with the hashtag #RelocateTheRace.

Contact us for more information and to let us know about your plans: pacbi.coord@bdsmovement.net   

Let’s pedal for Palestinian rights!


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Sample tweets

 

March 10: Join the Int’l Day of Action to #RelocateTheRace. Tell @giroditalia and @UCI_cycling to support Palestinian freedom of movement, not Israel's apartheid walls! #Giro2018 pic.twitter.com/XMZbsIUEJS http://bit.ly/2GbOdIy #Giro101

#CyclingWhilePalestinian: Israel denies Palestinians their right to freedom of movement. @giroditalia, @UCI_cycling, it’s time to #RelocateTheRace! Move the #Giro101 from Israel! pic.twitter.com/jpzeEql9sx http://bit.ly/2fJ3V2N #Giro2018

#Giro101 route passes near Al Araqib, a Palestinian Bedouin village demolished by Israel *120* times. @giroditalia, @UCI_cycling, it’s time to #RelocateTheRace! #CyclingWhilePalestinian pic.twitter.com/GCWhAlCUS0 http://bit.ly/2fJ3V2N #Giro2018

#CyclingWhilePalestinian: Illegal Israeli settlements steal Palestinian land and deny Palestinians our right to freedom of movement. @giroditalia, @UCI_cycling, it’s time to #RelocateTheRace! Move #Giro101 from Israel. pic.twitter.com/8RMPJv2TVT http://bit.ly/2fJ3V2N #Giro2018

#CyclingWhilePalestinian: Israel commits war crimes and imposes an illegal siege on Palestinians in Gaza. @giroditalia, @UCI_cycling, it’s time to #RelocateTheRace! Move #Giro101 from Israel. pic.twitter.com/Vd3INEfJvD http://bit.ly/2fJ3V2N #Giro2018

Israel's cycling team participates in races on Palestinian land under Israeli military occupation. If Palestinians organize a race, Israeli soldiers shut it down. @giroditalia, @UCI_cycling, it's time to #RelocateTheRace! pic.twitter.com/o0Uh4BAiaz http://bit.ly/2fJ3V2N #Giro101

120+ organizations representing millions, Noam Chomsky, prominent jurists, European Parliament members call on @giroditalia, @UCI_cycling to #RelocateTheRace from Israel due to violations of Palestinian human rights. pic.twitter.com/d99JhofmVk http://bit.ly/2fJ3V2N #Giro101

Videos

 

Giro d'Italia, Helping Israel Erase a Palestinian Village

Stage three of the Giro d'Italia cycling race is set to pass through the Naqab (Negev) near the Palestinian Bedouin village of Al Araqib, which has been demolished by Israel *over 120 times*. Watch as dramatic satellite imagery illustrates how Israel has erased the village while developing an exclusive Jewish-only settlement just 3 km away. Israel refuses to recognize or provide fundamental services to and has repeatedly demolished dozens of Palestinian Bedouin towns. Since 2010, Israel has revoked the citizenship of hundreds, possibly thousands, of Palestinian Bedouins, leaving them stateless. This is apartheid, a crime under international law. Giro d’Italia is helping Israel cover up its crimes and violations of Palestinian human rights. And UCI, the world cycling body, has failed to act. It’s time to #RelocateTheRace! https://bdsmovement.net/giro #Giro101 #Giro2018

Posted by Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel on Wednesday, March 7, 2018
 
#CyclingWhilePalestinian: Palestinians try to pedal from Ramal...

Starting the Giro d'Italia cycling race in Israel is being presented as something that can unite people and bring peace and harmony. See what happened when Palestinian cyclists tried to pedal from Ramallah to Jerusalem! Israel’s infrastructure of occupation and apartheid, roadblocks, military checkpoints, apartheid wall, Jewish-only settlements and roads stop Palestinians in their tracks at every turn. Giro d’Italia has aligned itself with Donald Trump. They both give legitimacy to Israel’s unlawful control over Jerusalem, contradicting international consensus. They both collude with Israel's far-right government to legitimize Israeli ethnic cleansing and apartheid. Palestinians are saying to Giro d’Italia: "Don't support Trump's decision, relocate the race and cycle away from Israel’s occupation and apartheid.” #CyclingWhilePalestinian #RelocateTheRace https://bdsmovement.net/tags/giro-ditalia

Posted by Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel on Thursday, December 21, 2017

 

APARTHEID ON WHEELS - Giro d'Italia in Israel

Doing what they do best, Apartheid Adventures has a new video out on the Giro d'Italia start in Israel -- now with French and Italian subtitles! "In May 2018 you can cycle the length of Israel to celebrate 70 years of ethnic cleansing, war crimes and apartheid." #RelocateTheRace #CyclingWhilePalestinian #Giro101 https://bdsmovement.net/tags/giro-ditalia (To activate the subtitles, click the gear icon ⚙️on the video, "More Settings" and "Always Show Captions")

Posted by Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel on Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Memes

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