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Starbucks smashed: Shaftesbury Ave, London

Edd - Last Hours | 17.01.2009 18:57 | Anti-militarism | Palestine

A Starbucks on Shaftesbury Avenue in central London was smashed this evening, presumably in solidarity with the people of Gaza.

Starbucks, Shaftesbury Avenue 6pm

Cycling along Shaftesbury Avenue at around 6pm I discovered the Starbucks on the street had had both of it's windows knocked out. When I arrived the police evidence gathering team were there too who said they thought it had happened an hour earlier. They appeared to be dusting for footprints. From what I could see whoever had smashed out the windows had used a street dustbin, and a chair from inside to break the windows. The police I spoke to on the scene believed that it had happened about an hour previously, they'd been on the scene for about 20 minutes.

Similar damage to Starbucks has been reported on Indymedia over the course of the past few weeks, and the Starbucks opposite the Israeli Embassy was trashed last Saturday, January 10th, at the large demonstration. Starbucks is being targeted because of their CEO, Howard Schultz, and his support of the Israeli state.

Edd - Last Hours
Homepage: http://www.lasthours.org.uk

Additions

It was done by protesters from todays Gaza demonstration

17.01.2009 19:18

That window was smashed around 5pm by a large group of several hundred demonstrators who had left the rally for Gaza in Trafalgar Square and were trying to make their way to the Israeli embassy. I saw the crowd of protesters coming up Charing Cross Road and then make their way down Shaftsbury Avenue and then onto Piccaddilly where half of them got corralled by police into a kettle opposite Grean Park tube station. The other half headed back east and then up Bond Street before dispersing.

By the way Starbucks stores have been attacked because they are owned by a staunch zionist who supports Israel.

Free Gaza

Starbucks on Piccadilly smashed too

18.01.2009 11:17

This is the front of the Starbucks on Piccadilly near Old Bond Street, picture taken around 6pm last night.

coff coff

Comments

Hide the following 10 comments

correction

17.01.2009 20:12

"By the way Starbucks stores have been attacked because they are owned by a staunch zionist who supports Israel."

The CEO owns approximately 4% of the company which is listed on NASDAQ. Schultz did however use his position as CEO of Starbucks to issue statements supporting Israel, and was awarded "The Israel 50th Anniversary Tribute Award" from the Jerusalem Fund of Aish Ha-Torah for "playing a key role in promoting a close alliance between the United States and Israel"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Schultz

pedant
Homepage: http://correction

The Missing Link

17.01.2009 21:18

That CAVEATTED Snopes page:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/israel/schultz.asp

O'Brein (and not the sandwich selling competitor)

link to why Starbucks is targeted

17.01.2009 21:47

Personally, I think Starbucks is soulless corporate crap and should be trashed for that reason alone, but here is a website that goes into detail, with exhaustive references, about why they should think Starbucks should be boycotted for anti-Israeli reasons:

http://www.inminds.co.uk/boycott-starbucks.html

Note: the website is also full of religious bullshit, so bear this in mind when assessing the claims made there.

They sell exciting software such as "Gems from the Holy Quran":

http://www.inminds.co.uk/gems-quran.html

A vital connection

18.01.2009 11:03

Something that's got lost here is that workers at Starbucks in the US (and UK as well?) have been struggling against working conditions there, organising with the IWW. They've had a number of pickets and actions against Starbucks over the past few years. See links below for more info:

www.starbucksunion.org
www.norwichanarchists.org/campaigns/iww-starbucks-workers-solidarity-2/

http://libcom.org/library/anarchy-precarity-and-revenge-iww-interview-starbucks-union-organizer-daniel-gross

So attacks on Starbucks hit the proverbial two birds with one stone. Shouldn't we be making these connections more explicit – that a company that is supporting the Israeli occupation is also exploiting its workers in other parts of the world?

Lydia

Lydia
mail e-mail: lydiamolyneaux@hotmal.com

Good point, Starbucks is a corporate monster who expolits workers.....

18.01.2009 15:56

....... and the environment to provide profits for the rich! The danger in saying this is that you will be accused of being anti-Hamas therefore a Zionist as the majority of peoples (who are posting here) revulsions lies in the fact of the jewish connection rather than the bigger picture of global capitalism and oppression. Which Smacks of anti-Semitism to me!

@narchist

FUll of redacted comments? Check.

18.01.2009 17:55

Supportive of racially-motivated crime? Check.
Full of redacted comments? Check.

Tha'ts Indymedia!

hyjfjhgf

Starbucks have no connection to Israel

18.01.2009 18:44

Starbucks CEO is a supporter of Israel but not the actual company which is a listed company and doesn't have any links. They dont have any shops in Israel but do have stores in lots of Arab countries. Boycott Starbucks because of the working conditions of their workers not because their Chief Executive is Jewish and is pro-Israel.

bit concerned

attacking Stabucks is counterproductive

19.01.2009 16:22

Starbucks has 346 location in London with an average of 15 staff in each, making a total of over 5,000 comrades employed. If we succeed in having the chain close, then in London alone over 5,000 comrades are on the dole. The chain is a public company and while the chairman might be a Zionist his company is not - the "support" they gave was to provide free coffee at a bowling event to raise funds for a hospital specializing i providing free aid to Jerusalem's Arab and Jewish populations. So what we are doing is putting 5,000 London comrades (typically students) out of work, and doing minimal to help aid the Palestinians. Let's replace raw misplaced emotion with rational hard thinking.

mike313

mike313 what are you talking about you Tit!

20.01.2009 09:21

Firstly satrbucks should be targeted not because of some spurious charge linking it with Israel (which smacks of anti-semitism) but because it is a corporate monster who exploits its workforce whilst doing incredible damage to the environment all to make the rich get richer. Thats why it should be brought to its knees. The 5000 students will have to get another shit paid job and mike313 you will have to have a good think and get your priorities/politics in check cos your talking shit!!