A LEADING campaign group has called on a movie theatre to boycott Israeli and Israeli-linked produce.
More than 500 people have signed an open letter by Art Workers For Palestine (AWFP), which is calling on the Glasgow Film Theatre to support the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Signatories include Scottish actor Gavin Mitchell, filmmaker Paul Laverty, writer Darren McGarvey and artists Charlotte Church and Jasleen Kaur.
Other supporters include Glasgow Film Theatre members and workers – including the Unite Hospitality branch.
The campaign calls for a total boycott of produce from companies complicit in Israeli “apartheid” against Palestinians.
The open letter calls for Coca-Cola to be removed from the Glasgow Film Theatre banner due to the company's links to Israeli settlements. The letter also calls for the removal of Barclays ads from screens.
Unite Hospitality members at the Glasgow Film Theatre voted unanimously to back the letter after they were approached by AWFP for their endorsement.
A spokesperson for the Glasgow Film Theatre Unite hospitality branch said: “Our branch puts our entire support behind AWFP's open letter, with a unanimous vote of support from our front of house and cleaning staff. We tried to raise this issue last year but were unsuccessful.
“We are optimistic that the collective encouragement from staff and this letter's signatories will encourage a different outcome, given all that has happened since.”
Support of BDS has been a core feature Unite Hospitality’s policy for the last 18 months.
The union added “Our members are enthusiastic about implementing this policy in our workplace and contributing to the global movement against genocide, apartheid, and oppression.”
A Glasgow Film Theatre spokesperson told The National: “The letter from Art Workers For Palestine has been forwarded to the Glasgow Film Board who will review it through our internal procedures.
“Our vision for Glasgow Film is an inclusive, collaborative space where audiences and communities can nurture their passion for cinema and film and be empowered through participation in our programmes. Everyone is welcome and everyone is included. This is ‘Cinema For All’."
They continued: “Glasgow Film's charitable mission is to provide 'Cinema For All'. We exist to celebrate the magic of film and nurture excellent independent cinema from across the globe.
“To do this we provide high-quality programmes of curated screenings, events and industry opportunities; we empower our communities to participate through education and outreach initiatives; and we develop sector leading equalities initiatives to ensure cinema is accessible, safe and welcoming for the widest possible audience.”
Email glasgowhospitalityBDS@gmail.com to find out more about the campaign.
