PRO-PALESTINIAN campaigners have demonstrated outside Croydon Council to demand it divests its pension fund investments from companies complicit in Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

Croydon Divest, which is made up of a coalition of groups, took action outside the full council meeting on Wednesday night to press their demands.

They also challenged the Labour chair of the pensions committee, Callton Young, to honour a commitment he made in April to meet a delegation from Croydon Divest to discuss divestment.

He has ignored countless messages from Croydon Divest asking him to propose a date for the meeting, the group claimed.

But in an answer to a supplementary question posed at the meeting by Ita Gallagher, co-founder of Crystal Palace Friends of Palestine, Mr Young has now agreed to meet Croydon Divest on July 25.

Croydon Divest said it is pleased to have a date for the meeting and will work to hold the council to it.

Ms Gallagher said she was disgusted to learn the council invests more than £121 million of its pension funds in companies complicit in Israel’s genocide, apartheid and crimes against humanity.

“I’ve been equally shocked by the lack of response from councillors when approached by concerned residents about this issue,” she said.

“More than a thousand emails have been sent but most have been ignored by Croydon’s elected representatives.”

PSC Croydon Branch chair Ferial Saada said: “I am here today to protest as a devastated Palestinian resident living in Croydon.

“We are witnessing the daily slaughter of my people in Gaza, and I am calling on Croydon Council to take a stand.

“The financial institutions and pension funds that invest in companies providing Israel with weapons and military technology are complicit in this genocide.

“We demand divestment from any entity that supports these horrific acts.”

Croydon Council was approached for comment.