Featuring a unicorn, Mothers Against Genocide, Latina dancers and trans rights activists, GIFC 25 started with a bang last Saturday with the carnival parade and festival in Govanhill Park. It has to be the most colourful day of the year, but there’s an important anti-racist message behind it all.

How can we respond to rolling coverage of injustice without turning away? In Govanhill, campaigners and independent publications explored this question, offering insight into grassroots activism, the BDS movement and the vital role of community-led media.

In Govanhill, a grassroots campaign is taking bold steps to boycott brands complicit in Israel’s occupation of Palestine; starting with Coca-Cola. Born from local activism and backed by the global BDS movement, the Govanhill Apartheid Free Zone is rallying businesses and residents to turn everyday choices into acts of solidarity.

Glasgow Film Theatre agreed to remove Coca-Cola from its bar following pressure from Unite Hospitality, as part of the wider BDS movement. While campaigners welcome the decision, their open letter pushes for broader boycott commitments, including the removal of Barclays adverts and the endorsement of PACBI.