Dear MoveOn member,
It’s Ben from Ben & Jerry’s.
In September, Jerry made one of the hardest and most painful decisions he’s ever made: He stepped down from the company that we started 47 years ago. Why? Because Unilever, the company that acquired Ben & Jerry’s in 2000, now called The Magnum Ice Cream Company, has been silencing Ben & Jerry’s when the brand has tried to speak out about social injustices and progressive values. It’s unacceptable.
It was always about more than just ice cream: Love, equity, justice—they’re part of who Jerry and I are, and they’ve always been the true foundation of Ben & Jerry’s. We cannot let those values be simply discarded under political pressure from the Trump administration and strongman politics. In response to corporate attempts to censor the brand we built, we’re fighting back to #FreeBenandJerrys.
When Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry’s in 2000, we made sure that they set up an independent board so Ben & Jerry’s could continue living its values and social justice work without corporate interference.
And Ben & Jerry’s did continue living its values: in opposing crimes against humanity, speaking out against white supremacy, supporting marriage equality, demanding climate justice, and insisting that businesses have responsibilities beyond profitability. But Unilever didn’t keep its promise and instead is silencing the voice of Ben & Jerry’s.
We’ve seen firsthand how corporate control breaks promises to allow independent political thought, we’ve seen how they squelch free speech, and we see how corporations cozy up to would-be autocrats. We can’t allow it, so we must #FreeBenandJerrys.
We can’t and won’t let big corporations silence our collective voices and power. That’s why we demand that Unilever must stop silencing Ben & Jerry’s and let it live its values and social mission.
Will you join us?
Wondering what this pro-ceasefire sorbet is all about? Well, it’s related to the same thing we’re advocating for with this petition. A while back, Ben & Jerry’s tried to make an ice cream flavor to call for peace in Palestine, to stand for justice and dignity for everyone, like Ben & Jerry’s always has, but they weren’t allowed to. They were blocked by Unilever/Magnum, the company that owns Ben & Jerry’s.
So I’m doing what they couldn’t. I’m making a watermelon-flavored ice cream that calls for permanent peace in Palestine and calls for repairing all of the damage that was done there. And I’m doing this to shine a light on the experience of Palestinian people, so the world does not look the other way. Palestinians deserve dignity, safety, and the same rights that all humans should have.
It’s also no surprise that all of this is happening at a time when our country’s current administration is attacking Black and brown communities and taking away our civil rights, voting rights, the rights of immigrants, women, and the LGBTQIA+ community.
Sticking up for the values of justice, equity, and our shared humanity has never been more important—and yet Ben & Jerry’s has been silenced, sidelined for fear of upsetting those in power. It’s easy to stand up and speak out when there’s nothing at risk. The real test of values is when times are challenging and you have something to lose. But we can do something about it.
Thanks for all you do.
–Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s
You’re receiving this petition because we thought it might interest you. It was created on MoveOn.org, where anyone can start their own online petitions. You can start your own petition here.
No purchase, payment, or contribution necessary to enter to win. Void where prohibited. Entries must be received by 11:00 p.m. on December 5, 2025. You may enter by signing the petition here. Alternatively, you can enter without signing the petition. 5 winners will each receive the following prize package: 1 pint of Ben’s pro-ceasefire sorbet, maximum cash value not to exceed $50. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received.
Promotion open to all U.S. citizens, or lawful permanent U.S. residents who are legal residents of the 50 United States and District of Columbia and 18 or older (or of majority under applicable law).
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