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BDS plans disruption of Tour de France over Israeli team participation
In an unprecedented move, the BDS movement issued a call to its followers to interfere and disrupt the races, labeling it as "blocking the roads to genocide"
The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, known for advocating a boycott of Israel, has announced plans for a significant disruption during the upcoming Tour de France and Giro d'Italia bicycle races, citing the participation of the Israeli cycling team, Israel Premier Tech, as their reason.
In an unprecedented move, the BDS movement issued a call to its followers to interfere and disrupt the races, labeling it as "blocking the roads to genocide."
The movement alleges that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, referencing a ruling by the International Court of Justice.
The statement accuses international sports bodies of neglecting their moral obligation to prevent genocide, and criticizes the decision to allow Team Israel Premier Tech to participate, despite what they claim is Israel's culpability in the deaths of over 33,000 Palestinians.
According to the BDS statement, the Israeli team's sponsorship by the government is seen as complicity in "washing away" Israel's alleged crimes.
The team's founder, Canadian-Israeli billionaire Sylvan Adams, is criticized for his role in what the BDS movement describes as attempting to sanitize Israel's actions through sports.
Adams' comments regarding the conflict are labeled as "shamefully racist" by the movement, accusing him of framing the situation in terms of "good versus evil" and "civilization versus barbarism."
While the Israeli team has not responded to these accusations at this stage, they are currently competing in another race in Italy, receiving heavy security from Italian police.
Concerns about disruptions during bicycle races are not uncommon, given the open nature of the courses, but security measures are expected to increase following the BDS movement's threat.