ABOUT
The Apartheid Free Zone (AFZ) movement is a global grassroots campaign that encourages communities, venues, and organisations to boycott and divest from companies that profit from Israel’s occupation and apartheid policies.
AFZ Naarm brings this movement to Melbourne’s music and arts community. We call on local venues to divest from companies operating in illegal Israeli settlements and transition to ethical alternatives.
Our first campaign focus is Coca-Cola, whose Israeli franchise operates from the Atarot Industrial Settlement in East Jerusalem – an area the United Nations recognises as occupied Palestinian territory.
By joining the movement, venues and artists across Naarm show that Melbourne’s creative community stands for justice, collective action, and ethical choices.
What are Apartheid
Free Zones?
The Apartheid Free Zone (AFZ) movement began in Palestine and was inspired by earlier global solidarity campaigns against South African apartheid.
It was launched by Palestinian civil society groups as part of the broader Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which calls on communities worldwide to withdraw support from companies and institutions that enable Israel’s system of occupation and discrimination.
An Apartheid Free Zone is any space – such as a venue, café, or organisation –that commits to standing against apartheid and occupation through everyday choices.
Becoming an AFZ means:
Boycotting companies operating in illegal Israeli settlements,
Divesting from institutions that enable or profit from the occupation, and
Publicly committing to justice, equality, and freedom for all.
AFZ spaces proudly display stickers, posters, or digital badges showing their support and connection to a growing global network of ethical venues and businesses.
Why Coca-Cola?
Coca-Cola’s Israeli franchise, the Central Bottling Company (CBC), operates a distribution centre in the Atarot Industrial Settlement in occupied East Jerusalem.
“According to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016), these settlements have “no legal validity” and “constitute a flagrant violation under international law.”
Atarot is built on land taken from Palestinian families and forms part of an industrial zone that benefits from occupation – with incentives and resources denied to local Palestinian communities.
By operating there, Coca-Cola’s Israeli franchise profits from and helps normalise the ongoing occupation of Palestinian land.
Coca-Cola has become a focus of global boycott and divestment campaigns calling on corporations to withdraw from illegal settlements and respect human rights.
Each purchase is a choice. By keeping Coca-Cola and its brands out of your venue or home, you stand with communities resisting oppression and uphold the principle that everyone deserves freedom, dignity, and equal rights.
