A community group is planning a protest outside the Town Hall tomorrow morning, to bring further attention to how Croydon Labour is backing the Tories over holding investments in companies that have been arming the Israeli military during its genocidal attacks on Gaza over the past 18 months.
Croydon Divest is a group of residents who want their council to divest its pension fund from the arms trade and other companies complicit in war crimes.
The group presented a petition to the council last December, asking the council to opt out of all such investments. Their arguments were rejected by the chair of the council’s pensions committee, Labour’s deputy leader Callton Young.
Croydon Divest has stepped up its campaign, including tomorrow’s demo ahead of the pensions committee.
David White, vice-president of the Croydon Trades Union Council and a member of the group, said, “Croydon Council invests nearly £16million in companies which we believe are complicit in war crimes. These crimes include Israel’s ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
“Israel, backed by Donald Trump, is openly calling for the removal, by force if necessary, of the entire Palestinian population of Gaza. This is clearly ethnic cleansing and must be opposed by people throughout the world.
Tin earred: Labour councillor Callton Young has ignored letters about the pension fund investments
“Croydon Council, through its pension fund, is directly funding the Israeli regime by investing in Israeli state bonds.
“It’s vitally important that the council enhances its responsible investment policy, which already bans investment in tobacco-related companies.”
Ferial Saada, a British Palestinian and member of Croydon Divest, wrote to Councillor Young several weeks ago asking for a meeting to discuss this issue. Saada has received no reply or acknowledgement.
Several others who have contacted the Thornton Heath councillor have also had their letters ignored.
Croydon Divest is supported by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Crystal Palace Friends of Palestine and Croydon Green Party, among others.
The demonstration will take place outside Croydon Town Hall on Tuesday March 18, from 9.15am until 10am.
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We shouldn’t be surprised that the racist Conservative Party is opposed to divestment and Palestinian statehood. We should be appalled that the two-faced Labour Party hypocritically side with them, either overtly or too scared to speak out after what happened to Corbyn.
Legitimate criticism of Israel’s genocide in Palestine, violence and intimidation in the West Bank and military aggression against neighbouring countries is gagged. Those who speak out against this are falsely labelled anti-Semitic, their concerns equated with supporting Hitler and the Holocaust
Very well stated , especially considering the vehemence directed to all and anyone who dares to speak up for Palestinians. Just consider how it must be for Richard Medhurst, a journalist subjected to possible terrorist offences just for speaking truth to power( and others). We (UK) were given the honour of being appointed the Protectorate of Palestine after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. How we have failed Palestine and Palestinians in all of the decades since. And you are correct in lambasting this facile apology for a Labour Government for promulgating the continuing Genocide against Palestine and Palestinians.