SAJBD HORRIFIED BY COSAS PIG CAMPAIGN
Disregarding all standards of basic decency, the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) today chose to send an ugly message to the Jewish community of South Africa (see below). This morning, as a protest against Woolworths for stocking Israeli products, COSAS members in Cape Town deposited a pig's head in the kosher meat section of a Woolworths food store. A press statement issued by COSAS Western Cape chairperson Siphakamise Ngxowa, inter alia declared that Cosas "will not allow people who will not eat pork to pretend that they are eating clean meat, when it is sold by hands dripping with the blood of Palestinian children".
The SA Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) is appalled by this hate-filled demonstration. We have seen "Shoot the Jew" being chanted at public gatherings and explicit threats made to carry out revenge attacks against the Jewish community for events taking place in Israel and Palestine. Now we have been presented with yet another case of anti-Israel activism crossing over into blatant antisemitism.
It is common knowledge that pork is strictly forbidden according to Jewish dietary laws. This is why depositing pigs' heads at places associated with Jews and their religion has long been a tactic of those wanting to offend and intimidate the Jewish community. In the past, however, such acts were carried out anonymously.
By contrast, Cosas has not only done so in full public view, but has gone about widely publicizing this gross act of bigotry. It is further noteworthy that BDS-SA, which is heading up the campaign to boycott Woolworths, not only failed to condemn the incident but have assisted Cosas in publicizing what it had done.
Cosas' actions have nothing to do with human rights activism. They are acts of racial and religious hatred aimed at causing maximum offense to Jewish people. They are also completely at odds with South Africa's proud tradition of tolerance and decency and have crossed the moral divide.
The SAJBD regards this incident as a hate crime and is investigating its options regarding taking the matter further.
Statement issued by the SAJBD, October 24 2014
What does racist @SAJBD say about @WOOLWORTHS_SA pigs. The pigs heads &hooves turning up in sea point, where next? pic.twitter.com/vmyEFaexh6
— Twittter ANC Branch (@ANC_BRANCH) October 24, 2014
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