Following 16 months of genocide in Gaza, which has left more than 62,000 dead including almost 18,000 children, and further Israeli violence in the West Bank, which has killed over 900 Palestinians, protesters took their Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign into Home Bargains in Aberdeen and called on shoppers to boycott Israeli goods, and for Home Bargains to stop stocking them.
ATUC is very concerned about the response by Police Scotland to a peaceful solidarity protest that involved 16 police officers which we understand included at least one armed police officer. We are deeply concerned that this response by Police Scotland caused serious alarm to the public shopping in the area and to the members of the Scottish Palestine solidarity committee exercising their lawful right to peacefully protest in support of the Palestinian people.
ATUC believes that the right to protest is a fundamental democratic right, enshrined in law, and protected under human rights conventions. Under international law, advocating for and participating in boycott actions against companies complicit in human rights violations is not a crime.
On the contrary, such actions are a legitimate form of civil resistance protected under the rights to freedom of expression and assembly, as enshrined in international human rights treaties, including the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
ATUC has been a partner in SPSC Aberdeen’s weekly solidarity protests with the people of Gaza and the West Bank over the past 15 months. We fully support the BDS movement as a form of peaceful resistance. We are deeply concerned that the criminalisation of BDS activities sets a dangerous precedent, silencing dissent and shielding corporate complicity in international law violations.
We reiterate our full support for the people of Gaza and Palestine and our pledge to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people until their freedom and justice has been won.
We will be writing to Police Scotland to find out why there was such a large response of 16 police officers to the protest at Home Bargains at beach boulevard retail park on Saturday 15th February 2025.
Meantime we send our solidarity and support to those Palestine Solidarity activists who were arrested and await with interest the outcome of the sheriff court hearings on the charges that the activists had committed a breach of the peace.
