Why is a conflict 2,200 miles away allowed to cause mayhem on UK streets?

[OneMerryRedSnail]

Shocking moment violent pro-Palestine mob attack workers outside Bradford kebab shop after owner 'refused to boycott Coca-Cola' amid claims soft drink giant 'profits from Israel's war in Gaza' | Daily Mail Online

I agree OP,

We seem to have reached a place in the UK where we need to reconsider what the right to freedom of speech actually means - particularly when one persons’ freedom impacts another as in the example here.

I worry it’s a dangerous path away from a hard won right due to the behaviours of the few (and I don’t mean those marching for peace).

Why do some people have to be such thugs? And over coca cola of all the ridiculous, stupid things. Thankfully 4 have been arrested.

Coca-Cola Company operates a factory in the illegal Israeli settlement of Atarot, which is built in Occupied Palestine.

People opposing the genocide of the Palestinians are boycotting products/company that directly/indirectly support oppression of the Palestinians.

Coca-Cola Company operates a factory in the illegal Israeli settlement of Atarot, which is built in Occupied Palestine.

People opposing the genocide of the Palestinians are boycotting products/company that directly/indirectly support oppression of the Palestinians.

So what?

@VestPantsandSocks , that is an explanation of sorts.
@OneMerryRedSnail, we’ve fallen over ourselves so much in order to not appear racist that certain people now use this against us. U.K. law should apply to all equally without exception. No exceptions for any reason and no pandering and overlooking of wrongdoing by anyone.

So because of this it’s OK for a kebab shop owner to be attacked and left needing stitches because he refused to stop selling these products, is it?

Whenever I've previously heard of boycotts they have been voluntary.

Society is unravelling.

Pretty sure we all benefit from things one way or another causing a detriment to others, ie fast fashion, oil and so on. People need to fuck off and do something productive to show support instead of making a stupid stance against a kebab shop which Isreal couldn't give a flying fxxk about.

Don't let the Daily Mail use a couple of thugs to convince you this is a common response.

I am Jewish and was on a huge, ceasefire march last week in London, which was quite lightly policed and I saw zero disorder over the several hours of protest with thousands of people there. The Daily Mail is 'nutpicking' an exceptional scenario of people behaving in a way, which, as posters have correctly pointed out, doesn't help anyone, to paint a misleading picture of the whole movement

@Echobelly

And the relevance of you being Jewish to this post about a kebab shop owner being attacked over selling Coca Cola is what exactly?

Sadly these "exceptional scenarios" are becoming less and less "exceptional".

I’m not being funny but isn’t ’exceptional scenarios’ basically what makes up the news? They don’t not report something because it’s an everyday occurrence.

‘serial-killer on the lose... urr… that’s a bit exceptional. Got anything about someone walking a dog and nothing happening?’

Boycotting something means that you don't buy it, not that you beat up people who do buy it, or sell it.

Something that those dickheads shouting at people eating in McDonalds also need to learn.

Totally agree.

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if whoever started with the shopkeeper was just someone who had a grudge against him and wanted to use this as an excuse to give him grief.

We are rapidly learning that when it comes to certain groups in society we either have to comply with what they want, or they use violence and threats. The authorities are afraid to stand up to it because they might offend someone.

Sounds like they arrested the people being aggressive, so they're obviously not that scared of them.

For crying out loud - this is a local news story, it's only in a national paper because it has an agenda to shut down Palestine protests by portraying them as 'left wing violence' and 'antisemitic' (note, they don't care one iota about Jews unless they can use us to beat other groups around the head with) and give their readers boogeymen to be outraged by.

Would it also be a local thing not worth bothering about if I took some friends and beat Muslims with sticks because they were boycotting Israeli goods and I didn't approve?

Would people say it's 'probably about some grudge' even though the video is pretty clear?

I'm less shocked about thugs from a culture that teaches that this is how you are entitled to deal with dissent than I am the sight of British people falling over themselves to excuse it.

What level of abuse and intimidation would be unacceptable? Where are we supposed to draw the line?

I am appalled that kindness, tolerance and equality is being perverted in plain sight.
I am sick of the sight of flags and chanting and division.
The police seem to set a very high bar on what behaviour they will actually intervene to stop and then it seems only when it is a small group so easy for them to target.
If I speak out I am thought to be a bigot and a racist which is the very last thing I am.
This does not show islam in a good light and I am sorry for muslims who just want a quiet and normal life.
People of all backgrounds should feel safe in the UK and there must be no allowance given for intimidation whatever the perpetrators believe.
Whilst war anywhere is a terrible thing we cannot allow our country to be dictated to by extremists insisting on their personal views. It has gone far beyond peaceful protest.

Certain groups in Britain expect special treatment and will lobby, harass, intimidate, etc to get it. The projection onto Big Ben of a political slogan shocked me last week. The police do nothing, won’t use the laws they have. We have been far too tolerant of political fundamentalist Islam.

Society is indeed unravelling when we can watch a genocide happening in real time and so-called civilised people doing fuck all to stop it

And?

I think similar things happened before and during ww2 about German goods or things that were perceived to German. Even the royal family had a rebrand. Feelings run high and some people turn to violence. They should be arrested and charged like anyone else breaking the law. I don’t think we need to stop freedom of speech as a result, that seems ludicrous.

No names released of those arrested yet posts here about “imported people”. Starting to think people are right when they say MN has a racism problem.