BDS in Pharrell concert showdown

The Pharrell Williams concert has created a showdown between the host venue GrandWest and the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions SA.

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Cape Town - The upcoming Pharrell Williams concert has created a showdown between the host venue GrandWest and the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) SA.

GrandWest will ask the Western Cape High Court on Thursday for an interdict to prevent BDS from having more than 150 demonstrators at a protest it planned to have on Monday when Williams is expected to perform.

BDS, ANC members, National Coalition for Palestine (NCFP), Cosatu and several other organisations, who oppose the Woolworths and Pharrell Williams collaboration, held a press briefing where they explained their planned protest.

 

BDS SA co-ordinator Muhammed Desai said the protest was part of the Boycott Woolworths campaign, which in turn campaigned for sanctions and divestment against Israel. The campaigns were to pressurise Israel to end its occupation of Palestine.

Desai said a recent UN report said Israel’s economy had lost more than 46 percent in foreign investment between 2014 and this year.

“Authors of this report said the primary factors leading to this were the BDS boycott campaigns against the Israeli regime,” he said

The movement opposed the Pharrell Williams and Woolworths collaboration ostensibly because Woolworths imported Israeli products.

“Woolworths claims to be an ethical company that campaigns for human rights, yet they support Israel. It would make more sense if they rather imported these products locally or from one of the Brics countries,” Desai said.

He added that the City had agreed last month for BDS to demonstrate at GrandWest on condition that only 150 protesters participated. This was despite the space allocated for the protests being able to accommodate at least 50 000 people, he said.

GrandWest’s owner, Sun International, confirmed it was aware a demonstration was planned.

Spokesperson Michael Farr said it fully endorsed freedom of speech, but in this regard the City issued a permit allowing for only 150 protesters.

He added that the organisers of the demonstration have, however, heavily advertised the protest and encouraging a number far greater than that which their permit allowed, and this raised concerns for the safety of those who have purchased tickets to attend the concert.

“Having more than 150 protesters would not only amount to breaking the law, but would also obstruct traffic and potentially endanger the public,” he said.

The City’s spokesperson Priya Reddy said it had deemed a maximum of 150 participants as appropriate to prevent damage and/or injury to persons and property.

“The proposed area for the gathering is too narrow to accommodate 50 000 participants as requested by BDS,” she said.

nicolette.dirk@inl.co.za

@ladynikki2

Cape Times