[Boycott - Cultural] London picket asks Julien Clerc to respect Palestinian call to boycott Israel
inminds 10 May 2013 On May 8th 2013 activists picketed the London concert of French singer Julien Clerc, at the Shepherd's Bush O2 Empire, asking him to respect the Palestinian call for artists to boycott Israel and cancel his concert in Tel Aviv scheduled for 7th July.
Julien Clerc is known as humanitarian artist who has shown dedication to the cause of refugees and in 2003 was officially appointed as Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Activists asked Julien Clerc, as Goodwill Ambassador for UN High Commissioner for Refugees, to consider the plight of the longest suffering and largest refugee population in the world - the Palestinians. They asked him to stand with the 5 million Palestinian refugees and oppose Israels racist project of ethnic cleansing.
Placards asked Julien Clern not to "lend apartheid Israel your good name" and to "respect the Palestinian call to boycott Israel". A placard in French alluded to 'bright stars' not performing in the black hole that is Tel-Aviv, others asked "Julien have a heart, boycott Israel". A giant placard read "Julien Clerc be on the side of justice, cancel your concert in apartheid Israel" and "UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador stand with the 5 million Palestinian refugees".
Chatting with the fans
300 leaflets were given out to Julien Clerc's fans attending the concert. All the fans were very curtious and not a single fan showed support for Julien Clerc'c decision to play in Israel. The message on the leaflet read:
In the name of Justice we call on Julien Clerc to cancel his concert in Tel Aviv on 7th July 2013, and to stand with the Palestinians who have called for a boycott of Israel.
Julien Clerc, as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, don't ignore the 5 million Palestinian refugees who are denied the Right of Return to their Homeland as established in UN Resolution 194 of December 1948. Instead, speak up for the Rights of those uprooted by force and who, after 65 years still living in precarious conditions in refugee camps around the Middle East.
You sang: "Depart, depart, even distant from others, even chasing chances of fortune, depart oh without saying anything, living as fleeing"
LIVING AS FLEEING is the day-to-day experience of a vast proportion of the Palestinian population facing murderous incursions by the Israeli military, imprisonment, torture, checkpoints, and deprivation of basic services.
The Palestinians living in the West Bank suffer the kidnapping and torture of their children, absence of water and electricity, attacks from colonialists, and obstacles to their movement, a wall and checkpoints that separate them from their land and families.
In addition, people in Gaza experience constant bombing, and a shortage of fuel, food and medicines.
Julien Clerc, as a humanitarian artist DON'T LEND YOUR GOOD NAME TO ISRAELI APARTHEID
Many fans asked for more details and where happy to listen whilst waiting for the concert to start. Many of the fans we encountered were most comfortable speaking French, luckily we came prepared with two of the activist having some fluency in French.
During the leafleting along with many pro-Palestinian songs, Julien Clerc's "Depart" song was played. This went down very favourably with the fans queuing outside the concert. All in all a very successful picket.
Fans keen to learn more
Many of the fans taking photos of the vigil to send back to their friends and families in France
"Yes madame we know about the boycott but who is Julien Clerc?"
Resources
PDF: http://www.inminds.com/pdf/julien-clerc.A2.pdf
Links
Facebook page for event:
http://www.facebook.com/events/503882786325997
Facebook page for french campaign:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Julien-Clerc-sil-vous-plait-ne-vous-produisez-pas-en-Israël/173710596113830
Letter to Julien Clerc from BDS France:
http://www.bdsfrance.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1072%3Alettre-ouverte-a-julien-clerc-de-la-campagne-bds-france&catid=9%3Aevenements-bds-france&Itemid=98&lang=fr
Julien Clerc's facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/julienclerc
Source: www.inminds.com
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