Stickers supporting and encouraging the boycott, divestment and sanction movement (BDS) against Israel have been found on products in two department stores in one of the largest malls in Winnipeg.

The stickers were found on Sodastream boxes at the Hudson’s Bay and Sears stores in the Polo Park shopping centre. B’nai Brith Canada was informed of the stickers at the Hudson’s Bay store by a couple who expressed outrage to the organization after purchasing the product. Adriana Glikman, B’nai Brith’s Winnipeg Programming Coordinator, then visited the mall and found the BDS stickers not only on Sodastream boxes in the Hudson’s Bay store but also in Sears. Neither of the stickers had been noticed by staff members in the two stores.

Glikman notified both store managers of the stickers. She said they were “shocked and disturbed” when she notified them they were on the boxes.

“We had to address a very angry call about this,” Glickman said. “The couple took photos of the stickers and brought them to the office. They wanted B’nai Brith to take action. We then went to the mall and confirmed what they saw in Hudson’s Bay. Then I went to Sears and found the stickers on the Sodastream boxes there as well. I was disgusted and upset, but it’s important to let people know that the managers took action quickly.”

Staff from both stores said they would review security footage and follow up with B’nai Brith. They also said they would alert other branches in the city about the stickers and monitor the stores more frequently and closely to ensure similar incidents would not recur.

Glikman said she was “disgusted and upset” by the placement of the discriminatory stickers on the products and expects any store in Canada to remove them if they are found on any products they are selling.

The stickers included the following:

Preceding the word Warning was a hazard symbol.

B’nai Brith reported on the appearance of BDS stickers on Sabra hummus containers at a Sobey’s supermarket in Thornhill, Ont. in August. Canadians for Justice and Peace in The Middle East (CJPME) have posted videos of individuals vandalizing products.

B’nai Brith has offered its expert services and resources to Hudson’s Bay and Sears to help assist in the investigation of the incidents.

B’nai Brith deals with antisemitism and hate incidents in Canada every day. If you have been the victim of antisemitism, discrimination or bigotry, please contact our 24/7 Anti-Hate Hotline at 1-800-892-2624 or online at http://bnaibrith.ca/report

For more information contact:

Marty York, Chief Media Officer
marty.york@bnaibrith.ca
or
Tevy Pilc, Staff Writer/Researcher
tpilc@bnaibrith.ca