Ben & Jerry’s, the iconic ice cream company, has filed a lawsuit against its parent company, Unilever, alleging censorship of its attempts to express support for Palestinian causes.
According to the lawsuit, Unilever threatened to dissolve Ben & Jerry’s board and pursue legal action against its members if the company continued to advocate for Palestinian rights.
The ice cream maker claims it was prevented from publicly calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict and supporting Palestinian refugees seeking asylum in the UK.
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“Ben & Jerry’s has on four occasions attempted to publicly speak out in support of peace and human rights,” according to the lawsuit. “Unilever has silenced each of these efforts.”
The lawsuit highlights a pattern of censorship by Unilever, as Ben & Jerry’s has previously faced obstacles in its efforts to address social and political issues, including the 2021 decision to halt sales in Israeli settlements.
Unilever has denied the allegations and maintains its stance on the matter.
A Unilever spokesperson said: “Our heart goes out to all victims of the tragic events in the Middle East. We reject the claims made by B&J’s social mission board, and we will defend our case very strongly. We would not comment further on this legal matter.”
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