On Sunday, Feb. 15, Montpelier Indivisible and the Vermont ACLU will sponsor the screening of “Boycott,” an award-winning documentary film released in 2021.
The film covers events that occurred from 2015 to 2021; however, the story really begins in 2005 when a group of about 170 Palestinian civic organizations called for the boycott of Israeli sporting, cultural, academic, and economic institutions. The group became known as “BDS” (boycott, divestment, and sanctions) and called for the divestment of funds from Israel and sanctions against the country. BDS claimed their actions were modeled after the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. Their goals included recognition of the rights of Palestinians living in Israel, permission for Palestinians who had been driven out of the country to return to Palestine, and the return of lands seized by Israel in 1967.
From the beginning the BDS movement drew both supporters and condemnation.
The American Israel Political Affairs Committee, a powerful pro-Israel lobbying group, asserted that BDS “discriminates against the Jewish state … targeting its right to exist, aiming to cut off Israel from the rest of the world.”
Groups such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the ACLU pushed back against this characterization. According to Amnesty International, “Advocating for boycotts, divestment and sanctions is a form of nonviolent advocacy and of free expressions that must be protected.”
To some this seemed to be a clear first amendment right, but in many courts it was less clear.
By 2025, 38 U.S. states had passed anti-BDS laws. According to Human Rights Watch, these laws and policies require people entering into a contract with their state (including contractors, teachers, lawyers, and even those who may be signing up to judge a debate team) to confirm they are not engaged in any boycott activity.
“Boycott” tells the story of three American citizens, a speech pathologist, a lawyer, and a newspaper editor who resisted their state’s anti-BDS laws.
The organizers of the Feb. 15 event say they hope for a productive community gathering. Miriam Hansen, a member of Montpelier Indivisible, says, “My goal is to create a safe space in which people can learn, explore, and discuss without fear of backlash and anger.”
The screening begins at 2 p.m. at the Montpelier Senior Center, 58 Barre Street, followed by a Q&A led by Daniel Nerenberger of Just Vision, which produced “Boycott.”
