10/25 Block the Boat Tampa Solidarity Action
In solidarity with Oakland and all the other port cities around the country who are organizing labor to refuse to unload Israeli Apartheid onto US shores, Block the Boat Tampa held a solemn vigil at ILA Local 1402 Union Hall.
With large banners, including one made of 12X18 photos of children massacred from Palestine to Ferguson, Block the Boat activists met 1402 Longshoremen as they arrived for their work orders. When the vice president of the union arrived he told us to go to the other side of the street, where workers would not have to see our messages and the heartbreaking photos that accompanied them. We remained silent. He called the police who quickly responded with 4 cars and a larger vehicle. However, when the police saw our solemn vigil on a public sidewalk, they made no effort to remove us.
Workers filed by us for 2 hours but rarely were they able meet our eyes, read our messages or pay respect to the slaughtered children on our banners. Activists remained at the Union Hall, lining the exit as workers pulled out on their way to the dock and speaking with workers who did not get work for the day.
In August of this year, Palestinie Solidarity activists and Longshoremen of Local 10 in Oakland California successfully blocked an Israeli Zim ship from bring offloaded. Inspired by such an effective BDS action, other ports have begun campaigns.
Zim Integrated shipping is complicit in the illegal occupation of Palestine, is arming the world with Israeli made weapons and munitions, including munitions used by militarized US police forces, and transferred White Phosphorous to Israel used in the 2008-9 military massacre in Gaza
