Just as Lev Leviev opened its new store in Madison Avenue, a Palestinian interest group Adalah-NY demonstrated protests against the company outside its New York City office, demanding a ban.
Protests escalated outside Leviev in New York City on Tuesday as Adalah-NY, a Palestinian interest group, continued its call for a boycott of Israeli diamond magnate Lev Leviev's new Madison Avenue store.
Protestors plan to demonstrate outside Leviev's new U.S. flaghsip store in New York City for the second time in a week in response to company founder Lev Leviev's alleged projects in the West Bank and New York. The protest is being organized by Adalah-NY: Coalition for Justice in the Middle East.
Susan Sarandon will cross a picket line - if there are diamonds on the other side. The actress waded through a throng of picketers from Adalah-NY to get to a cocktail party for the Leviev jewelry store launch on Madison Avenue this week.
Lev Leviev's rise has not been without controversy. Leviev has been accused of profiting from diamond mines in apartheid-era South Africa, Angola and Burma. His closeness to Russian President Vladimir Putin has also raised some eyebrows. This came to the fore at the store opening, when a group of protesters from Adalah-NY showed up behind the velvet rope that barred the entrance to the store.
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