A Co Derry GAA club has banned Coca-Cola products from its clubhouse bar over the soft drinks giant’s alleged support of Israel.
St Canice’s GAC in Dungiven has backed the global Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel following its continued strikes on Gaza, and has removed Coca-Cola drinks from its bar as a show of support for Palestinians.
Coca-Cola is among corporations being targeted in the global boycott campaign as a result of its operating a manufacturing plant in the West Bank. The company has also reportedly donated supplies to the Israeli military.
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The latest onslaught of Gaza was sparked after the Hamas attacks on Israeli towns close to the Gaza border on October 7, in which around 1,200 Israelis were killed.
Since then, over 19,000 people in Gaza are understood to have been killed in Israeli strikes and by soldiers in the Palestinian territory.
A notice from St Canice’s to members said: “As long as the Coca-Cola company...continue to manufacture products in occupied territories, St Canice’s GAC will be withdrawing Coca-Cola from sale.
“We encourage our members and the wider community to boycott Coca-Cola and we ask all political representatives to call for a permanent ceasefire and peace in Gaza on humanitarian grounds.”
The club’s vice-chairperson, Kieran McKeever, told The Irish News: “The ban was agreed at a club executive meeting on Wednesday night.
“We as a club wanted to take action after watching the ongoing suffering of Palestinians in Gaza. Although this is a small gesture, we hope that it might inspire other clubs to do likewise, in order to make it known that as a community we oppose what is happening to Palestinians.”
Last month members of the club’s ladies football team took part in a peace vigil event in Dungiven, alongside members of St Patrick’s Camogie Club.
Mr McKeever added: “We hope the whole community gets behind us with this ban, which will remain in place until there is a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.”
