People's City Council L.A. Joins CODEPINK's Trader Joe's Campaign at Site of LAPD Killing of Melyda "Mely" Corado
CODEPINK News
In a powerful act of solidarity, the People's City Council of Los Angeles (PCC-LA) joined CODEPINK in a protest at the Silver Lake Trader Joe's to demand the grocery store chain remove products made in Israel from its shelves. The protest took place at the very location where Melyda "Mely" Corado was tragically killed by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in 2018. The action highlighted the intersection of police violence in Los Angeles and the ongoing genocide and human rights violations being committed by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) in Gaza.
The group of activists loaded carts with the Israeli products they are demanding be removed. When the brother of Mely, Albert, tried to deliver the petition to the store manager the manager refused to take it. Albert then stood there and read the petition aloud - assuring the manager heard the groups demands.
The protest is part of CODEPINK's larger national campaign, which is calling on Trader Joe's to stop selling Israeli-made products as part of a global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement aimed at ending the ongoing occupation of Palestine and the genocide in Gaza. Demonstrators also raised awareness about the connections between U.S. law enforcement practices and Israel's military, particularly the LAPD's training programs with Israeli forces, which perpetuate cycles of violence both locally and abroad.
"The reason this action is so deeply personal to me is because my sister, Mely, was killed by the LAPD at this very Trader Joe's in Silver Lake. Since that day, no meaningful change has occurred in how the LAPD operates. They continue to kill our community members without accountability, just as the U.S. continues to turn a blind eye to the genocide taking place in Gaza," said Albert, co-founder of the People's City Council of Los Angeles. "What's even more significant is that the LAPD continues to send officers to Israel to train with the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), reinforcing the cycle of settler colonial violence that leads to the deaths of both Angelenos and Palestinians. We were inspired by CODEPINK's call to action and felt compelled to join forces. Given my connection to Trader Joe's, it felt like the right opportunity to collaborate with CODEPINK LA and take a stand together."
As of this release, nearly 15,000 individuals have signed the petition calling on Trader Joe's to sever ties with Israel. The petition aims to pressure Trader Joe's to end its support for Israeli occupation and human rights abuses, arguing that as a major retailer, Trader Joe's has a responsibility to ensure that its products do not contribute to violence or oppression.
Protesters at the Silver Lake Trader Joe's shared stories of how U.S. police forces, including the LAPD, have fostered ties with Israeli military forces, using the same tactics of repression and violence both in the U.S. and abroad. Many demonstrators also condemned the Israeli government's role in the ongoing suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, where bombings, killings, and displacement continue unabated.
"Trader Joe's is a corporation that prides itself on its commitment to ethical sourcing and social responsibility," said CODEPINK organizer Ryan Wentz. "We are calling on the company to live up to its values and stop profiting from products that support human rights violations. The removal of Israeli goods from Trader Joe's shelves is a concrete step toward standing in solidarity with the people of Gaza, as well as addressing the systemic violence that disproportionately affects Black and Brown communities in Los Angeles."
This action is part of a growing movement that ties local struggles for justice to global struggles for freedom and human rights. By connecting the fight against police brutality in the U.S. to the anti-occupation movement in Palestine, the People's City Council and CODEPINK are sending a clear message that systemic violence, whether carried out by police in the U.S. or military forces in Gaza, must be confronted and stopped.
Tell Trader Joes to Stop Carrying Israeli Products!
