On Black Friday, a group of 30 to 40 activists staged a disruptive protest at the University Village Apple Store, targeting Apple’s relationship to human rights abuses in Gaza and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Organized by Apples Against Apartheid, the protest aimed to disrupt one of the busiest shopping days of the year and confront Apple over its supply chain practices and business ties.
“We’re targeting it because it’s the largest Apple Store in the city and it is a flagship, and we hope to shut down business as usual,” said Tariq Raouf, a lead organizer. “Apple has ignored both the Palestinian and Congolese communities when they have begged them to acknowledge their suffering, so we are bringing their suffering to Apple’s front step.”
The demonstration unfolded in stages: first, activists outside unfurled a banner and began chanting while “customers” inside revealed themselves as activists, and laid on the ground, covering themselves with “bloody” sheets. Then three activists, including Raouf, locked themselves together around a table.
In response, Apple employees demanded photographers cease taking photos and customers were asked to leave. Shortly after, the store’s employees also exited. Even the approximately 30 Seattle Police who were called in to monitor the scene eventually left. The final three activists, who had locked themselves together, simply stood up and walked out. The Apple store was closed for the rest of the day—on the biggest shopping day of the year.
The demonstration’s focus was twofold: the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Raouf pointed to reports that Apple’s supply chain in Congo benefits from exploitative practices like child and slave labor.
Apple’s role in Israel’s occupation of Gaza was also a focus. Employees have alleged that through their employee donation match program, Apple has given money to Friends of the IDF and far-right settler organizations.
Raouf, a Palestinian American, expressed deep frustration. “I have tried, for months, to plead with Apple to recognize my family’s suffering. I have emailed executives, requested meetings with them, sent them messages on Slack, had community meetings where we were all telling them what we needed, and still Apple has done nothing. “
Flowers, a media representative for the group, stressed the importance of collective action. “We’re not okay with people who fund genocide. We’re not okay with people who fund child labor. We want to show over and over again that at the end of the day, people have the ability to stand up and say no to these big corporations.”
An onlooker who asked not to be named, but described herself as an Israeli Jewish woman, witnessed the protest and expressed shock. “I actually stopped by because I was shocked a brand like Apple is allowing this,” she said. “Law enforcement actually is there, I saw maybe 20 of them, and they are not doing anything to stop this.”
As the activists left the store without incident, Raouf’s final words echoed the group’s resolve. “They have to recognize there is a consequence,” Raouf said as the group left the store. “If no one else was going to do it, it is up to us.”
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Activists being annoying never advance their cause.
Sounds like the right response all the way around. Don’t give the children the attention they think they deserve and they leave. I’m sure their closure of the store on Black Friday made a huge dent in Apple’s revenue
5 will get you 10 that half of these assholes have iPhones in their pockets or wrote their press release on a Mac.
I wonder why didn’t decide to go to the Bellevue Apple Store, as I think that probably generates as much or even more revenue as the Seattle U Village Location. Oh right, they don’t drive or didn’t want to drive under 520 b/c their plates would be read by the toll cameras.
It’s true, if they don’t insist on their luxury items being assembled in respectable Uighur work camps then nobody will.
Just as stupid as pissing people off by blocking the freeway. It honestly makes me care less about what is happening in Gaza.
Release the hostages.
Good work, keep pushing. Israel must stop the genocide and release the 9600 Palestian hostages from its dungeons. Many are children.
@3
Agreed.
And more than a few probably own Apple laptops that they used to organize their useless little endeavor.
apres moi, dear, Bellevue Square does not allow any sort of activism. The protestors would be arrested and prosecuted, which would be terribly inconvenient for them.
At least they left the Westlake Christmas Tree lighting ceremony alone.
“…three activists, including Raouf, locked themselves together around a table.”
They promised to remain occupying the store, in defiance of American corporate power, until all of their demands were m— hey, look, a shiny object we can Instagram!
@4 They didn’t go to Bellevue Square because they would have been arrested immediately. The Bellevue Police take their jobs seriously.
“everyone left and returned to their parents basements to smoke a little hash” there, fixed it for you!
Let me get this straight – these people are pissed because not because Apple took a stand in favor of Israel, or supplied weapons, but because Apple didn’t pick and choose WHICH employee donations it would match?
@14: TBF, they’re also kinda pissed Apple issued an internal statement to the effect Israelis are actual human beings. The last line of their linked manifesto ends with a complaint about, “… a prompt company wide email Tim Cook sent sympathizing with the Israeli victims of October 7th.”
The best was from the “die in ” where one of the “activists” was just watching a movie on his phone. I’m glad the vast majority of society now recognizes what losers these people are and just ignore them.
@11 The police can’t arrest them unless the store management asks them to trespass the protesters. Apple clearly decided that arresting the protestors would only make them feel like they won, while just closing the store without having them removed would be a loss.
@16 The Bellevue Square Mall, which contains the Apple store, would have them arrested right away. Bellevue does not suffer this sort of behavior.
do they shoot
them Litterers in
Bellevue as of yet?
how about the
Graffitti Artists?
when eltrumpfster
seizes them Reins
then by Gawd we’
ll be Seeing some
Change but with
NONE to spare.
do they have
them Shooting
Drones there yet?
@18: “when eltrumpfster
seizes them Reins…”
Sawant will get what she wanted, yes. I seem to recall many, many comments here over the years, saying Sawant getting what she wants out of government would be a really, really bad idea. Good to see you (finally!) agree with our wisdom on that point.
“do they shoot
them Litterers in
Bellevue as of yet?”
How about you go find out? The worst that could possibly happen is you getting some actual knowledge of what you’re talking about he— oh, right. Sorry, can’t risk that, now can we?
@19
oh
wormmy,
right on Cue!
my little Trolly*
suggesting I go
to Bellevue & get
Shot. it’s g. Morning
in Puget Sound again!
now
kindly
fuck Off.
*so
sorry
Sawant
broke your
‘brain’! bye!
Closing the store was the best thing apple could have done. Just leave these children chained up until they need a restroom then “escort” them out the door. Better yet, just let them piss themselves!
@21: Given how the last pro-Palestinian group who chained themselves to the UW HUB openly threatened other students, and vandalized other students’ artworks, closing the store does seem like the best call.
@20: “suggesting I go
to Bellevue & get
Shot.”
I know that reading comprehension really isn’t your thing, because it requires basic ability with the words and all, but if you read carefully, I wasn’t actually agreeing with your smear of Bellevue police/security as trigger-happy felons. I was telling you you’ll simply be shown wrong. (That happens so frequently here, you really should start getting used to it…)
“so
sorry
Sawant
broke your
‘brain’!”
I’m sorrier she stumped for Trump, but to each his own, I guess.
@22tl;dr.
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here,
wormmy
let me Save
ya some Time:
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