Government department targeted by protesters angry at attack on local democracy

A protest was held at the Department for Communities and Local Government on Monday by campaigners angry at the British government’s recent attempts to undermine local authorities’ ability to make ethical procurement and investment decisions.

The protest, organised by London Palestine Action (LPA), had a ‘smoke and mirrors’ theme in order to highlight what activists say are efforts by central government to intimidate and confuse local councils into thinking that boycotting and divesting from companies complicit in violations of international law and human rights is now ‘banned’.

Layla White, a spokesperson for LPA, accused the Tories of “using smoke and mirrors to smear the huge numbers of people who support the Palestinian liberation struggle and to bully local councils into thinking that they can’t take ethical procurement and investment decisions.”

The Tories are carrying out an outrageous attack on local democracy in order to shield Israel from being held to account for its system of apartheid, and ongoing settler colonialism, with brutal consequences for the Palestinian people.

Reflecting concerns from a wide number of campaign groups that the Conservatives’ attack on the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement will have broader implications, today’s protest also included activists from groups dealing with climate change and arms manufacturing.

On February 17, the Cabinet Office published a Policy Procurement Note that was not, contrary to how it was presented by some, a ‘boycott ban’; in fact, the guidance simply restated existing legislation. Similar guidance regarding public sector pensions is currently being prepared by the government, with more than 26,000 people urging the government not to restrict the power of local councils to divest from companies that abuse human rights or the environment.

Photo credit: London Palestine Action