Starbucks smashed and looted at rally!
Two London branches of coffee chain Starbucks were smashed and looted when protests against Israel's military action in Gaza turned to violence.
Riot police surrounded up to 240 demonstrators in central London, many wearing scarves covering their faces, who broke away from a rally in Trafalgar Square at about 5pm.
Up to 200 were tracked by a police helicopter as they ransacked the coffee shops in Piccadilly and Shaftesbury Avenue while 40 more were contained in Hyde Park, thought to be on their way to the Israeli embassy in Kensington.
The United States coffee chain has recently been the subject of an internet boycott campaign amid claims it donates profits to Israel – an accusation it strongly denies.
Commander Bob Broadhurst, in charge of public order policing for the Metropolitan Police, said: "Once again what we have witnessed in London today is a group of thugs, who are not interested in lawful protest, run through the streets smashing shops without care for the alarm they caused the public.
"Thousands of people expressed their views in an earlier, lawful, rally in Trafalgar Square...What followed was totally unacceptable criminal behaviour by a small minority who do not appear to care about any cause. Their behaviour was inexcusable as they took part in wanton criminality."
An Israeli flag was set alight at the rally outside Birmingham's Council House in Victoria Square.
Abdulah Abdulah, 25, a clerk from Birmingham said: "The whole world knows this is something serious and the reason that people are angry is that they are getting more frustrated because nothing is being done."
In London, former Labour cabinet minister Tony Benn was among the speakers addressing the crowds.
The violence followed demonstrations by thousands of protesters, who waved banners demanding an end to the attacks on Gaza and chanted "Free. Free Palestine".
Another rally is planned for the day of Barack Obama's inauguration outside the US Embassy in central London.
"great" things start from "small" beginnings. (redefined)
i just dont think this boycott thing will turn into a big thing -going beyond isolated cases of riots and "mushroom" discussions like this.
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call me ONE.
Hmm, pretenses and assumptions. Wasnt the entire Iraq invasion based on an assumption of the existance of weapons of mass destruction?
This is where it gets tricky. The "what if's". _____________________________________________________
"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"
Bloody idiots......feral fools....
what is the difference between jews and those who are protesting?
“In 1998 he was honored by the Jerusalem Fund of Aish HaTorah with ‘The Israel 50th Anniversary Friend of Zion Tribute Award’ for his services to the Zionist state in ‘playing a key role in promoting close alliance between the United States and Israel.”
However, according to records, his actual holding in Starbucks is quite small.
Great, thanks, Platao. And even better, I get to come back to Doha tomorrow!
Mandi
Mandi: they guys doing that are radicals, haven't you noticed how some of those "peacefull protests" always end on violence, just take a look in what happens when ever the G8 have a meeting, Left radicals are always criticising the Capitalism and the globalization of economy, POLITIC is dirty, people get fooled too easilly.
Btw: how was your birthday yesterday?
Only God Can Judge Me
الله فقط يمكنه محاكمتي
I am you and you are me, if you love i love, if you suffer i suffer
أنا أنت, و أنت أنا, إذا أحببت نفسك أحببت نفسي, إذا عانيتَ عانيتُ
I'm not sure that I am comfortable boycotting a company solely on the basis of the CEO's stated beliefs if company policy in no way reflects those beliefs. We always say here on QL that a person's religious preferences do not matter to others, it is his or her actions in the community that are relevant.
Mandi
Bald, my response is to previous posts.... I never insinuated he gave funds to Israel.
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"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"
He may be CEO, but he still can't give away funds of a publically listed company without the full agreement of the board. Your argument is somewhat flawed.
Now, if he wants to give out of his own pocket, that's his prerogative.
Did you Google it first?
Marycatherine, the CEO being an active Zionist is not say so as he said so himself. Check it out.
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"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"
So it's OK to smear a business with rumor and innuendo without solid facts to back it up? Just because someone "says" Starbucks donates money to Israel doesn't mean it actually happens - just as Starbucks "saying" they don't do that.
I "say" that cats can do quadratic equations and advanced thermo dynamics - I don't need to prove it I just "know it"
Give me a break with the "it might be true" argument so we'll boycott them anyways.
how i thank the greater source for PM.,
and
gotta go with PM with this again., the manner was counterproductive and uncalled for., destroys the meaning of what they are fighting for,
dms, thought i should've warned you., :)
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call me ONE.
Smashing an innocent bystanders livelyhood is justified????? Glad you're out of it!
Did you Google it first?
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PM yes i actually said that, it is justified.. this is not further. screw it, im not gonna explain anything to anyone anymore.. so im out of this thread too.
yes UkEng, thanks. anyways no problem i guess. the thing is i did not say that it's okay to be violent, i said i understand why this has happened and that's one way of reacting.
like Thomas Paine said,"a long habit of thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right."
They couldn't have been more wrong.
sorry Rania, I was carried away. Again, my deepest apology! I'm out of this thread (only)!
Lol, UKeng, thanks for bringing me back to my senses!
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
dmightysolomon you started things by personally attacking rania and rania made the situation worse by dragging your mother into this...not respecting rania's mindset is not an option, disagreeing with her is all you can do. Now please both of you put an end to it, there really is nothing at stake here.
Padre calm down..Your opinion are noted..
Rania.. Dmightysolomon is one of the collest guys here..So come on lets not fight over some misunderstanding..
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HE WHO DARES WINS
its just a topic
and ideas does differ alot
i know a movie with a dialogue
million minds with billions of ideas hard to match.
i can differ with you all but will just ignore arguing.
because all it ends up personal and abuse.
I already ask sorry to Rania!
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
it dont fight before i break your bones :/
not to give justice to any uncivilized action. Sorry for offending you but your "slip of the tounge" doesn't speak well of you (at least in my opinion).
And since you included my mother already in the discussion, my mother did not tolerate us if we vent our ire on destroying each other toys because we as her children have differences.
May I asked how did you mother teach you? Don't get me wrong, I respect you but not your mind set for this discussion (at least).
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
yes guyz i understand, i know civilians are innocent and most of them do not support the terrorism that's going on, i know, maybe it came out wrong from me, i mean if i was there, i would never do such thing no matter what, but something has to be understood this is rage and helplessness reaction. im not with it but i understand it.
right, which is absolutely inexcusable...you are actually defeating the purpose of the entire protest by doing that! And dmightysolomon, your comment about rania's personality was uncalled for...let's all just call it a little slip of the tongue and leave well enough alone.
is justice to you, Rania? Your personality talks!
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
In the old days, I have marched against Apartheid in South Africa and Nuclear weapons at Greenham Common.
Marches and protests do serve a purpose. However, if they degenerate into chaos and anarchy, then you play into the hands of the people you are demonstrating against.
Understanding their behavior is one thing but supporting it is an entirely different matter. If the people that destroyed the starbucks branches were the parents and relatives of innocent civilians from ghaza then i would understand but i still couldn't bring myself to support it. However, the people that did this were just caught up in the intensity and decided to take advantage of it by wreaking havoc.
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Balderick honestly it was not me..
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HE WHO DARES WINS
Once a rally becomes a rampage of destruction it loses any credibility in my eyes.
As for Starbucks their coffees rank an I never ever go there but I cant condone trashing one of their joints regardless of the motive.
Would agree with BritExpat, however i really dont think any is being done about these protest. Its more like an event now. All in all protest does not put any effect on the Government but it is important as well.
I don't think "Rashid Abdulaziz" (or whoever) who has his Starbucks franchise in Campden Market really gives a toss about his CEO's ideals as long as the people of London keep him and his small crew in gainfull employment.
Once more, the small business man in the street is hit over misconceptions.
Did you Google it first?
Mary, I dont think you will get a public admission that they are funding Israel, but it helps to confirm the "rumor" when the CEO of Starbucks states he is an active Zionist and that he has received numerous recognitions from Organizations in Jerusalem for his 'work'.
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"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"
According the the article Starbucks denies donating money to Israel - is there concrete evidence to the contrary or is this one of those rumors that take on a life of their own?
I have to agree with Zayd. I dont think this will solve the problem, rather it brings people down to the shameful level of their opponent (which I can honestly say a coffee shop is not an opponent).
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"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"
Got to agree with Baldrick.. Acts like this take the focus away from the real purpose of the march and give a bad name to the protesters..
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
personality!
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
I call it wanton destruction of private property.
Did you Google it first?
i disagree rania...that would be like me beating up some random person on the street cause my boss was mean to me. Last time i checked, random starbucks employees in England branches were not armed members of the Israeli army.
what do you call such action?
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
:(( too bad, i like their drinks :(
brit, i thought u had enough with this Gaza - Israel things ;p
serves them right for giving their drinks such gay names :P