Tampa, FL – Two dozen protesters from around Florida protested the delivery of Israeli goods to the Port of Tampa on Aug. 30. The huge container ship named the Zim Alabama transports Israeli-made goods for distribution in the southeast U.S. Due to arrive on a Wednesday night, the Zim Alabama was delayed, docking in the early morning on Saturday, Aug. 30, instead. Protesters were ready and picketed at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, staying for several hours in the hot Florida sun.

The protesters gathered around the entrance to the port with signs and received support from people driving in and out of the Port of Tampa.

Danya Zituni of Students for Justice in Palestine remarked, “…the ‘Block the Boat’ protest at the channel side docks had a major impact. It cost the Israeli shipping company Zim tens of thousands of dollars in fuel and related costs to redirect their boat. With an increased turnout for the next scheduled time of return, we can possibly prevent the boat from docking at all. It's our responsibility to boycott Israeli companies that profit off the 67-year genocide of Palestinians.”

This protest is part of the Block the Boat campaign, itself a part of the boycott, divest and sanction movement to bring down Israeli apartheid. Block the Boat began in Oakland, California and has since spread to places such as Tacoma, Seattle, Los Angeles, and now Tampa.

After the protest, organizers agreed to have a planning meeting on Sept. 3. The Zim Alabama will face another protest two weeks from now, when it returns with more Israeli goods to dock in Tampa.

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