The coach who is popular on “The Voice” is drawing the ire of protesters against the singer’s partnership with major South African retail group Woolworths.
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Grammy award-winning American musician Pharrell Williams will face down a protest by thousands of anti-Israel activists at a concert in Cape Town on Monday, organizers of the demonstration said.
Pharrell Williams has been accused of indifference to the Palestinians’ plight. “Woolworths is a company that maintains unjustifiable trade relations with Apartheid Israel and is the current target of the biggest consumer boycott campaign seen in South Africa since democracy”.
Over the course of the a year ago , BDS campaigners have held nationwide protests to demand that Woolworths remove Israeli goods from its shelves in line with an worldwide economic boycott of the self-proclaimed Jewish state.
The court decision, which was handed down on 18 September, paves the way for 16,000 Palestine supporters to protest until 4pm local time outside the Grand West Casino.
In an open letter, COSAS urged Williams “to be on the right side of history and join an increasing chorus of global artists who support the Palestinian fight against Israeli injustice and oppression”. Woolworths denies sourcing produce from the West Bank or other disputed territories.
Other speakers at Monday’s protest called on the South African government to sever diplomatic ties with Israel.
“You (Williams) have received, including from us (the largest South African school learner organisation), numerous complaints against your collaboration with Woolworths – a company arrogantly trading with apartheid Israel, a regime that kills Palestinian children”.
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The loudest people at the Pharrell Williams concert in South Africa were the 1,000 or more people outside of the concert hall chanting and holding signs.
