The Event

Make Amazon Pay protest!

Date: Friday 24 November
Time: 12:00
Location: Amazon Web Services office in Amsterdam at Mr. Treublaan 7

Amazon is one of the most powerful corporations in history. It is remaking how the economy works in the 21st century squeezing every last drop it can at every turn. The Amazon business model means: squeezing workers, squeezing communities and squeezing the planet.

Most of Amazon's profits are not generated by delivering packages but by a part of the company called Amazon Web Services (AWS). AWS provides data storage and networking -e.g. making sure that websites can run- for huge companies and government institutions. In 2021, AWS generated 18.5 billion USD in profit or 74% of the total profit of everything that Amazon does! [1] 

In the same year, Amazon signed a contract with the Israeli military and government to provide dangerous technology that 'allows for further surveillance of and unlawful data collection on Palestinians, and facilitates expansion of Israel's illegal settlements on Palestinian land'. [2] Today, as bombs are raining down on Gaza, this contract is still active! [3]

At the same time, AWS is deeply involved in different phases of oil production, focusing on pipelines, shipping, and storage for oil and gas companies. [4] In 2021, Amazon signed a strategic collaboration with TotalEnergies to help them “accelerate their digital transformation” — in other words, ensuring the profitability of fossil fuels by helping them make extraction more efficient. [5]

We need to stand up to the horrible injustices that Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Amazon enable and create. That's why we are protesting in front of the AWS Office in Amsterdam at 12:00 on Black Friday, as part of the global day of action! [6]

Join the DiEM25 action at AWS by joining the dedicated Telegram chat: https://t.me/+zPOnT2f7hGk5MjMy 

Together with thousands of people around the world, we will Make Amazon Pay fair wages, its taxes, for its impact on the planet and for enabling the oppression of the Palestinians! 

We are doing this in collaboration and solidarity with First Nations people in South Africa who are protecting sacred land in Cape Town, where a private developer is building a massive office block for Amazon. They will be protesting at AWS' African headquarters at the same time as we will be protesting in Amsterdam. [7]

Together, we will Make Amazon Pay.

 

[1] https://www.visualcapitalist.com/aws-powering-the-internet-and-amazons-profits/ 

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/oct/12/google-amazon-workers-condemn-project-nimbus-israeli-military-contract

[3] https://aws.amazon.com/contract-center/aws-nimbus/

[4] https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/reports/oil-in-the-cloud/

[5] https://totalenergies.com/media/news/press-releases/totalenergies-and-amazon-announce-strategic-collaboration 

[6] https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/oct/27/make-amazon-pay-black-friday-strikes-planned-in-30-countries-including-uk

[7] Find more info about the Black Friday action by First Nations people in South Africa on their Instagram page. In addition, you can visit their Save our Sacred Lands campaign website.