UK plumbing company bans ‘Zionist’ customers

British Jewish woman refused service after plumbing company discovers she is opposed to the anti-Israel BDS movement.

By World Israel News Staff

A British plumbing company has declared that it will not provide service to “Zionist” customers or opponents of the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

According to a report by The Jewish Chronicle, a Jewish woman from London was turned down after she requested repair work from the Mayfair-based AWG Plumbing and Heating company after employees researched the potential customer and found she has expressed opposition to the BDS movement.

The woman had turned to AWG Plumbing and Heating, but was later told by an employee who identified himself in a text message as Adam that the firm was not willing to take her on as a customer due to her views vis-a-vis Israel.

“I won’t be able to provide you any services as we’re trying to VET all of our customers in the present climate and it appears that you opposed the BDS movement and give cover to the state of Israel as you a part [sic] of the law makers in this country,” Adam wrote the woman.

“So for this reason, we can no longer offer our services and would therefore no longer like to be contacted.”

AWG Plumbing and Heating did not elucidate how the customer was vetted or how the company became aware of her anti-BDS views, though Adam did say he uses potential customers’ public profiles.

The would-be customer later told The Jewish Chronicle that she was “extremely shocked and upset. I couldn’t believe it had happened to me in this country.”

Speaking on behalf of AWG Plumbing and Heating, Adam told the Chronicle that the company does not necessarily refuse service to supporters of Israel, but will refuse to serve those who support Zionist or “genocide.”

Adam lamented AWG could be “criminalized” for its refusing to serve “Zionist” customers.

“We worry that antisemitism and anti-Zionism are being conflated and worry we’d be criminalized for our views.”

“We have a personal relationship with all our clients, that’s one of the great things about interacting with different people.”

UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) reported the incident to the UK’s Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), claiming AWG Plumbing and Heating violated the 2020 Equality Act, “which prohibits firms from discriminating against potential customers on the basis of protected characteristics that include religion and philosophical belief.”

UKLFI director Caroline Turner added that AWG’s practices constituted indirect discrimination against Jews.

“AWG discriminated against the customer on the grounds that she supported the State of Israel and opposed BDS. In other words, because she is a Zionist.”

“In addition, since a higher number of Jews than of other religious groups are Zionists, AWG was also indirectly discriminating against people of the Jewish religion.

“Therefore AWG is demonstrating discrimination against Jews and Zionists.”