A Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) protest against Israel. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Despite repeated attempts to disrupt business by protesters advocating anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, or BDS,  an Israeli-owned EcoStream store, in Brighton, England, reported its best week of sales last week, Sussex Friends of Israel reported on its website.

The constant threat by BDS has elicited a strong response from local supporters of Israel. In counterpoint to the protests, many pro-Israel activists have begun to host their own parties in proximity to the store in an effort to mitigate harm caused by BDS protests. This past weekend, for instance, EcoStream supporters held a “Bagels Against Bigotry” event with participants offering cakes and bagels for passers-by to enjoy as they visited EcoStream ahead of a planned BDS demonstration.

The shop has repeatedly been the backdrop to anti-Israel demonstrations since it opened in the sea-side town 13 months ago; but BDS efforts have had little effect. In keeping with the current trend of record sales, in August the store, which caters to sustainable and eco-conscious lifestyles, reported sales  had hit an all-time high.