Cape Union Mart will this week fight back against accusations of supporting genocide when it turns to the Cape High Court.
The Western Cape High Court is set to hear an application this week by international retailer Cape Union Mart for an interdict to stop the Palestine Solidarity Campaign from labelling it as supporting genocide.
The matter comes after months of protests outside Cape Union Mart stores nationwide. Since November 2023, the PSC and other groups have protested the stores, claiming the brand is associated with Israel. They have called for consumer boycotts as part of broader protests against Israel’s military operations in Gaza and the unlawful occupation of Palestine.
The protests form part of a global movement in support of Palestinian self-determination and calling for accountability for Israel’s violations of international law.
In response to the campaign, Cape Union Mart approached the court for an interdict against PSC and other protesters. The application calls the remarks about the company’s ties to Israel “defamatory” and further seeks to prohibit protesters from “inciting hatred” and wearing face coverings. They cited financial losses and reputational damage and sought to restrain activists from picketing outside its stores.
