Reimagine Co., a local grocery store on Piccadilly Street, is the first store in London to support the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement. Reimagine Co. and other BDS stores around the world are boycotting Israeli products or anything that supports the apartheid.
Heenal Rajani outside his store on the day he announced his support for the BDS movement.
Heenal Rajani, the owner of the store, says that the world is turning a blind eye to the atrocities in the Gaza region. Its up to everyone to do what they can to stand up for justice. He is encouraging other London businesses to follow suit.
“This is a far away place, but this is something that effects us all,” he says. “We all want peace, justice, friends, people to live good happy lives—the only way that can happen is through a global movement. ”
In London, support for the Palestinian cause has been growing. The weekend before Rajani declared his store apartheid-free, a huge car rally took place across London, where supporters came out to show support for those in occupied territory.
Rajani says it feels good to see support.
“We already have seen support on social media, but we know it’ll be controversial. We know not everyone is going to agree with this.”
There are many who accuse anti-Israeli actions as anti-Semitic. Rajani and other activists have categorically refuted that accusation.
“We want to be absolutely clear. This is not anti-Jewish or anyway racist or discriminatory. This is very much about the actions of the Israeli state.”
“The common denominator is human rights.” –Sara Rans of IJV London
Sara Rans, a member of Independent Jewish Voices, expressed her support for Reimagine Co. and Rajani. In a statement from the IJV, she says:
“This step is important to us as Canadian Jews of conscience, because we cannot support the Israeli government’s constant and—once again—lethal discrimination against Palestinians.”
She says that its important for Jewish voices to speak up in this issue.
“Being Jewish is not being Israeli . . . we cannot allow the Israeli government to be the spokesperson for Jews.”
Reimagine Co. is the first store in London to support the BDS movement. David Heap of the Council of Canadians London Chapter and People for Peace says this isn’t the last.
“It starts with people taking actions . . . when people lead, eventually leaders follow. We’re seeing this week for the first time Canadian politicians calling for sanctions against apartheid-Israel . . . This is where it starts people, but this is not where it ends.”
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