Croydon Divest – Protest Pension Committee Head

/ campaign, divest, Palestine /

On Saturday 21st June, the Resistance Kitchen joined other local grassroots organisations of the Croydon Divest Coalition, to protest outside the surgery of the head of Croydon council pension committee, Councillor Callton Young, in Thornton Heath.

Two months ago Callton Young, when challenged in front of the full council, promised to meet us to discuss divestment from genocide.

Despite repeatedly chasing him – emails, phone calls, even involving the Labour whip, he still has not responded, let alone set a date for the meeting.

Over 1200 Letters Ignored

Since then over 1200 letters from Croydon residents have been sent to their local councillors, demanding divestment, but we still have not heard anything back. 

Visit To Surgery

So it was decided to visit him at his surgery. 

A couple of local residents of his ward of Thornton Heath would go inside to politely ask him to set a date for the meeting, whilst the rest of us would hold a peaceful vigil outside.

Unfortunately the word got out and when we got there we were greeted by a cancellation due to illness notice.

Three labour councillors are meant to attend the surgery, two of which are on the pension community. 

Apparently all three were suddenly ill. 

It would seem that when they cannot justify investing in genocide, they hide!

Lack Of Democratic Accountability

It was disappointing to see such lack of democratic accountability, and disregard for constituents. 

But rest assured, it will not deter us. 

In the same way that Croydon council divestment from the lucrative tobacco industry was won after a long protracted struggle, divestment from the arms industry, guilty of fuelling war crimes and genocide, will be won.

Croydon Divest Coalition

The Croydon Divest coalition apart from the Resistance Kitchen includes Croydon Trade Union Council, Croydon PSC, Crystal Palace Friends of Palestine, Croydon Green Party, and Croydon4Palestine.

Press Release
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Labour councillors do a runner over investments in Israeli arms

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