Protesters in Westwood accuse Biden, Starbucks of supporting genocide in Gaza
The outside of the Starbucks store on Weyburn Avenue is pictured. Signs with statements such as “LA says no to Genocide Joe” and “Stand with Palestine! End the occupation now!” lean against the storefront, which is also spray-painted with text including “Baby killers” and “Starbucks supports genocide.” Protesters placed the signs and spray-painted the store Friday evening, accusing Starbucks and United States President Joe Biden of supporting genocide in Gaza. (Brandon Morquecho/Assistant Photo editor)
Protesters in support of Palestine spray-painted and placed posters in front of the Starbucks store on Weyburn Avenue accusing the corporation and United States President Joe Biden of supporting genocide in Gaza.
Shortly after 8 p.m. Friday, protesters – some wearing keffiyehs and carrying the Palestinian flag – spray-painted words such as “Starbucks supports genocide,” “Baby killers” and “Gaza” on the sides of the Starbucks building. Others put up signs against the buildings reading “LA says no to Genocide Joe,” “Ceasefire now!!! End the war crimes!” and “The blood of the innocent is on your hands.”
The demonstrations in Westwood were linked to a protest – which began in Beverly Hills around 3:30 p.m. – organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement in relation to Biden’s arrival in Los Angeles on Friday, according to an Instagram post from the organization. The president participated in an event Friday evening in Westwood for donors – including prominent Hollywood actors – who are supporting his reelection, according to the LA Times.
Friday’s protests follow multiple protests that have happened across LA and at UCLA in support of Palestine since Oct. 7.
An attack by militant group and Palestinian political party Hamas on Israeli villages Oct. 7 left an estimated 1,200 dead, according to Reuters. Since then, Israel has launched air raids, bombings and a ground invasion that have killed at least 15,000 Palestinians in Gaza and left around 6,000 people missing, according to The New York Times.
The Biden administration has been criticized over the past two months for its support of the Israeli government. On Friday, the U.S. vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, according to NYT.
Starbucks has also been the target of recent boycotts in relation to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The coffee chain sued its workers’ union in October after a social media post from the union’s account expressed solidarity with Palestine, claiming that the post damaged the company’s reputation, according to the Associated Press.
Protesters dispersed soon after the demonstrations, with the store remaining closed afterward.
