Six student activists of Farook College were arrested by the Kerala police on Sunday, January 7, for reportedly pasting pro-Palestine stickers at a Starbucks outlet in Kozhikode.
The students were however released on bail after producing two sureties.
The activists, of the Fraternity Movement, have been booked for allegedly pasting “Free Palestine” and “Caution Contents May Fund Genocide” posters on the walls of the Starbucks outlet located near the Kozhikode beach, Kerala, reported Maktoob Media.
The incident reportedly at the Kozhikode outlet took place on January 4, following which the Starbucks staff filed a complaint with the Kerala police and a case was registered under sections 448 (Punishment for house-trespass), 153 (Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 427 (Mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).
The staff at Starbucks initially did not stop the students who stated that they were making a video on brands that backed the war in Gaza. The posters were thereafter removed by the staff, the students were quoted by Maktoob Media.
So far, three such protests have taken place outside this particular outlet in Kozhikode since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on Gaza after the October 7 attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.
Following the arrest, several activists of the Fraternity Movement gathered outside the outlet on Sunday night raising slogans against the Israeli aggression on Palestinians, in what the United Nations has termed as a genocide in Gaza, amid war with Hamas.
The activists raised “Down, Down Starbucks” and “Down, Down Zionism” slogans as they protested against the arrest of the students.
The Fraternity Movement has demanded the withdrawal of the case, stating that the protest is not equivalent to rioting, and has warned against a statewide protest.
Boycott of Starbucks, other companies
PepsiCo, Walt Disney, McDonald’s, and Starbucks are among the companies that are suffering setbacks because of their reported links with Israel. Boycott campaign, led by Arab countries against the organisations that support Israeli occupation of Gaza. has begun to show adverse effects on the stocks and their business, Daily News of Egypt reported.
The boycott campaign that began on October 10 in the Middle East through social media has impacted the shares of those companies that have made enormous contributions to Israel.
Some of these business groups have attempted to maintain distance from their association with their parent organisations, and profess to be independent after a worldwide boycott campaign.
The boycott of Starbucks products grew after they filed a lawsuit against, Workers United, the union organising its employees, for sharing a pro-Palestinian post on social media.
As of October 29, Starbucks shares were additionally impacted by the boycott campaign trends, yet not quite as much as different organizations. Starbucks shares dropped to 91.4 USD per share on 12 October, which is the most minimal cost since the boycott call began. They then rose to 94 USD per share on October 19 and remained at that level until Tuesday’s exchange session.
Starbucks shares dropped to 91.4 USD per share on October 12, which is the most minimal price since the boycott campaign began. They then, at that point, rose to 94 USD per share on October 19 and remained at that level until the next exchange session.
