Thanks to Seymour for the video.

Thanks to Felix of youandifilms and Jim for the video.

“Adidas fall from grace, don’t sponsor a racist race!”

Report by London BDS

On the evening of Friday 25 March 2011, the day of the Jerusalem Marathon whose major sponsor is Adidas, BDS activists held their own race against Israeli Apartheid inside the Adidas flagship store on London’s Oxford Street.

One of the race numbers. Statistics: Middle East Monitor.

This is the first of many actions that will bring Adidas’s shameful sponsorship of a marathon that promotes a municipality that is actively involved in ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, demolition of houses, as well as destruction of people and property, into the public spotlight.

The runners attracted attention from shop staff, customers and the general public and distributed flyers to customers both inside and outside on Oxford Street explaining that the Jerusalem Marathon is yet is another attempt by Israel to whitewash their atrocious human rights record and to urge Adidas not to sponsor the 2012 Jerusalem Marathon that will be held on 16 March 2012. The store was evacuated and was forced to close for a time. The action ended without any police intervention.

Afterwards, activists returned, spoke to and presented the manager with a document explaining the purpose of our action that we requested be forwarded to their head office.

The Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC) stated in a 17 February 2011 press release:

The Jerusalem Municipality, a key node in the official Israeli structure of colonialism and apartheid, is a leading violator of Palestinian human rights. Since its inception, it has been a major instrument in the colonisation of Israeli-occupied Jerusalem. It is particularly notable for its role in promoting and deepening one of the starkest cases of urban apartheid in the world. The municipality continues to be actively involved in the illegal gradual ethnic cleansing of Palestinians out of Jerusalem, the demolition of Palestinian homes and destruction of property, and the sustained suppression of development in the Palestinian neighborhoods as a matter of policy.

The similarities between the situation of East Jerusalemites and black South Africans [under apartheid] are very great in respect of their residency rights. We had the old Group Areas Act in South Africa. East Jerusalem has territorial classification that has the same sort of consequences as race classification had in South Africa in respect of who you can marry, where you can live, where you can go to school or hospital.

It is thus not surprising that the Jerusalem marathon website refers to East Jerusalem as “mostly the home of former Jordanian citizens,” painting Palestinians as foreigners instead of the indigenous people of the land. This attitude is consistent with Israel’s ongoing erasure of Palestinian historical presence in the city, including the ongoing wave of demolitions of Palestinian homes in Silwan to turn the area into an “archeological park” and “tourism center” for extremist settlers at the expense of the local Palestinian population who live in fear of constant violent harassment . UN Special Rapporteur Richard Falk said of the plan that “international law does not allow Israel to bulldoze Palestinian homes to make space for the mayor’s project to build a garden, or anything else,” adding that the plan “should be seen within the context of Israel’s persistent, systematic approach to driving Palestinians out of East Jerusalem.” This comes after decades of Israeli crimes including the erasure of over 500 Palestinian villages in 1948, the willful destruction of the Moroccan Quarter in the old city of Jerusalem in 1967, and the more recent desecration of the historic cemetery of Ma’man Allah (“Mamilla”) in West Jerusalem, for the purposes of building a so-called “Museum of Tolerance,” all sites marathon runners will pass through.

Other than conflicting with international law, the sponsorship of the marathon is in clear violation of Adidas’s own commitments to “rules that society expects of a responsible company” and “all applicable laws, directives and guidelines. ” The Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC) calls on Adidas to immediately rescind its sponsorship agreement for the marathon with the Jerusalem Municipality. The BNC also calls on people of conscience around the world to urge Adidas to follow through with its stated commitments by canceling this unethical sponsorship.

Adidas’s refusal to distance itself from the event would put the company in violation of the most basic obligation not to be complicit in war crimes and grave human rights abuses, and would violate the 2005 Palestinian BDS Call, one of the most effective, popular, and non-violent forms of struggle against Israel until it abides by its obligations under international law.

This, as a result, would make the company a target of worldwide consumer boycott action. We also remind Adidas’s managers that under the principle of individual criminal responsibility, CEOs of companies can be held individually responsible for certain grave violations of international law, including war crimes. Complicity in covering up war crimes and normalizing them is a serious crime in its own right that Adidas should carefully consider.

Activists previously contacted Adidas and all received the same reply:

Thank you for your recent letter regarding the Jerusalem Marathon.

Adidas is convinced by the unifying power sport offers. As a general rule we do not influence any political processes or event details.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for contacting the Adidas Group.

Yours sincerely

Lauren Cruse
Customer Care Manager
For and on behalf of Adidas (UK) Limited

We’re sure all the Palestinian sportsmen and women who had their pitches blown up or their visas refused will be pleased to learn of the “unifying power” of sport.

The Don’t Run With Apartheid campaign is urging human-rights activists throughout the world to take action to ensure that Adidas does not sponsor the 2012 Jerusalem Marathon.

Adidas has already hinted that they are wary of an international boycott and bad publicity. This is an opportunity for all people of conscience to get involved.

Through its sponsorship, Adidas undermines the Palestinian call for a cultural, as well as a sporting boycott of Israel.

ADD YOU VOICE TO THE GROWING NUMBERS AND MAKE A REAL IMPACT:

• Email: global_public_relations@adidas.com
• Send a message to Adidas HERE
• Take action at your local Adidas store or stockist!

Here’s a sample letter:

I want to express my concern and disapproval at Adidas for sponsoring the forthcoming Jerusalem Marathon on the 25th March 2011.

It is important to note that your sponsorship of the Jerusalem marathon, whether in the current form or in a revised one, undermines the Palestinian call out for a cultural, sporting and economic boycott of Israel. In 2005, hundreds of Palestinian civil society, trade union and charitable organisations came together in unison to call for global non-violent citizen action through a Boycott Divestment and Sanctions campaign to pressure Israel into conforming with its human rights and international obligations.

Since 1967 Israel has moved over 260,000 Settlers into the Occupied Palestinian Territories, flouting international law and dozens of UN resolutions and forcing Palestinians of their land.

The marathon is organised by the same municipality that routinely organises house evictions and demolitions in East Jerusalem. Adidas’ sponsorship signals an international ‘business as usual’ message to apartheid and occupation, perpetuated by Israel, on behalf of Adidas.

I ask that Adidas does not sponsor the 2012  Jerusalem Marathon and stands up and join the many companies, athletes, singers, celebrities, politicians and citizens worldwide who have already done so, for human rights and for an end to the apartheid occupation.

In the event that Adidas chooses to sponsor this event, people throughout the world will ensure that every patron who walks through the doors of your shops, as well as Adidas stockists, will be informed as to exactly what they are supporting.

“Impossible is nothing,” Adidas’s main slogan proclaims. Ending the company’s complicity with Israel’s apartheid and war crimes should be quite possible then.

And on 8 April 2011, Rome took up the baton on the same day as the Tel Aviv Marathon…