In the latest national #BoycottWoolworths campaign, radio journalist Faizel Patel from Radio Islam, was ordered by members of the tactical response unit of the South African police service, to delete pictures that he had taken at the Boycott Woolworths protest, which took place at the Trade Route Mall in Lenasia on Saturday.

National Coalition 4 Palestine representative Suraya Dadoo said when he refused to delete the pictures he was ordered into a police vehicle and was then taken to the police station for questioning.

“What subsequently happened was that Crime Line head Yusuf Abramjee and several members of the SAPS Gauteng leadership actually went to the police station. Ultimately SAPS was actually forced to apologise to Patel for the way that he was treated,” Dadoo said.

She said the protesters was also intimidated by these same tactical response team members, who allegedly swore at some of the activists.

“These protesters mostly comprised of school children, teenagers and a hand full of adults who certainly posed no danger to the Woolworth store or to the mall in which it took place,” explained Dadoo.

Several Woolworth’s stores have been affected by the monthly Boycott Woolworths National Day of Action that took place yesterday across South Africa.

Late last year, Woolworths sought a court order to try and prevent the Boycott Woolworths campaign and protest actions. BDS South Africa, as an organisation, said it has agreed “in good faith” to refrain from in-store protest actions.

“The court order which BDS South Africa intends on fully respecting, however, does not extend to other organisations and/or entities which are not a part of BDS South Africa,” BDS stated.

Dadoo said BDS has put it to Woolworths that it is in their hands and interest to end their trade with Apartheid Israel. They have emphasised that the retailer can easily source locally or from other countries and the campaign will end. VOC