CAMPAIGNERS across Britain launched a day of action on Saturday along with global protesters following attacks on Palestinian communities by the Israeli military and groups of illegal settlers which left homes, cars, olive groves and farmland burned.

In Britain, protests took place in at least 17 towns and cities, ranging from Brighton to Edinburgh, London to Manchester, and York to Cwumbran in Wales.

The protesters targeted shops of the Puma sportswear firm over the company’s sponsorship of the Israeli Football Association (IFA) which includes teams from illegal Israeli settlements on land stolen from Palestine and condemned by the United Nations as illegal under international law.

In Manchester, fans of Manchester City FC were among 100 protesters who marched through the city to the football club’s shop in Manchester’s Arndale Centre.

Puma is also a sponsor of Manchester City FC, and the protesters called on the club to end its sponsorship.

Around 15 protesters were able to enter the shop before its shutters came down, while the rest protested outside and handed out hundreds of leaflets.

Protester Adie Mormech told the Morning Star: “We went down Market Street and marched through the doors of the Arndale Centre and to the Manchester City shop.

“All the stuff in the shop is Puma because Puma sponsors Manchester City as well as the IFA.

“There were quite a few Man City fans with us wearing their Man City shirts.

“We’d done banners in Man City colours.”

Protesters in the shop held up photographs of Palestinian footballers killed in Israeli attacks, and of others whose injuries ended their careers and potential.

Mr Mormech said Israeli attacks had been taking place in the days before the protest.

“No-one is safe,” he said. “A 15-years-old girl Sadeel Turkman who was shot on Wednesday died of her injuries.

“Another keen footballer, 24-years-old Omar Qatim, an electrician for the local municipality, was shot and killed on one of the raids.”

He said the protesters were calling on Manchester City “to demand Puma end their ties with the racist apartheid Israeli regime.”

More than 200 Palestinian football teams have called on Puma to terminate its sponsorship deal with the IFA.