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The Grammy award-winning producer and performer's concert was
scheduled to go ahead despite the protest, launched by the South
African branch of the international Boycott, Divestment and
Sanctions against Israel (BDS) movement.
"By working with Woolworths, Pharrell supports Israel, a country
that supports the oppression of Palestine, a country that is the
new apartheid state," said Ashraf Salie, standing amongst a
crowd waving Palestinian flags at the entrance to the GrandWest
Casino where Williams was performing.
Pro-Palestinian marches often attract large crowds in South
Africa, especially in Cape Town which has a large Muslim
community.
Some passing motorists hooted support to protesters, who held up
placards saying "Pharrell is welcome if Gaza is free" and "Pharrell
and Woolworths have blood on their hands" as local musicians and
artists entertained the crowd from a stage.
Protesters were allowed to gather under a heavy police presence
after the City of Cape Town lost a court case seeking to limit
attendance to 150 protesters.
Williams is collaborating with Woolworths as its style director
on several fashion projects as well as fundraising for
education.
Woolworths has said it does not source produce from the
Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, less than 0.1 percent
of its food comes from Israel and that it clearly labels every
product's country of origin.
(Reporting by Wendell Roelf; Editing by James Macharia and
Andrew Roche)
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