Pro-Palestinian protesters target Zara stores in London’s West End
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Pro-Palestinian protesters targeted fashion giant Zara as they urged Christmas shoppers to boycott “Israeli-linked” brands in London.
Hundreds marched on Oxford Street, Regent Street and Carnaby Street, busy shopping districts in the capital’s West End, bringing traffic to a standstill on Saturday afternoon.
Some chanted “while you’re shopping, bombs are dropping”, referring to the Israel’s response to the October 7 attacks by Palestinian militant group Hamas.
They stopped outside two Zara stores, both of which had closed and were guarded by security, urging people to boycott the brand.
Some chanted: “Zara, Zara, you can’t hide, stop supporting genocide”.
Earlier this month, Zara pulled an ad following complaints that it contained pictures resembling images from the Israel-Hamas war.
The campaign, called The Jacket, contained a series of images in which the model was pictured against a background of cracked stones, damaged statues and broken plasterboard.
Zara said the campaign presented “a series of images of unfinished sculptures in a sculptor’s studio and was created with the sole purpose of showcasing craft-made garments in an artistic context”.
However, some viewers suggested they were similar to images emerging from Gaza.
The company said it regretted a “misunderstanding” about the pictures, after some customers “saw in them something far from what was intended when they were created”.
Protesters also chanted “shut it down” outside a Puma store on Carnaby Street.
The sports company was included on a list of brands to boycott which was written on leaflets handed out.
Calls to boycott Puma stem from the firm’s sponsorship of Israel’s national football team.
Saturday’s demonstration, organised by direct action group Sisters Uncut, began in Soho Square, where protesters chanted “free Palestine”.
Protesters waved Palestinian flags, played music and let off coloured smoke.
Some shouted the controversial chant “From the river to the sea Palestine will be free”.
Leaflets distributed by the group said: “No Christmas as usual in a genocide. The UK is complicit.
“Don’t fund genocide in Palestine. Boycott Israel.”
The Metropolitan Police said no arrests were made.
