[Imc-uk-features] [Feature Proposal] Whitechapel Knees Up against Starbucks

[maqui]

Hello

I'd like to propose the following feature for the London and Culture  
pages. Actually I collected this stuff together thinking more about the  
london imc, but then i realised that all the postings people published  
about this action had the 'culture' topic ticked, and the Space  
Hijackers, the collective behind the action, it is a London's art /  
interventionist group. So I guess it fits well in the UK's Culture  
topic too.

To go up tomorrow at some point.

cheers
maqui

FEATURE:

Title: Whitechapel Knees Up against Starbucks
Photo: 366307.jpg

<p>
On Saturday 24th March, the London's collective of <a  
href="http://www.spacehijackers.org/html/history.html">Anarchitects</a>  
called <a href="http://www.spacehijackers.org/">Space Hijackers</a>  
invited the local community to a <a  
href="/en/regions/london/2007/03/365581.html"><i>'East End Knees  
Up'</i></a> against the fact that the corporate chain Starbucks  
recentlty opened a new store in Whitechapel. Starbucks <a  
href="http://www.googlesyndicatedsearch.com/u/ 
corpwatch?q=starbucks&is=corpwatch.org&x=26&y=4">has a long history</a>  
of undercutting and closing down local independent cafes, of treating  
their staff badly, and their coffee growers even worse.
</p>
<p>
The tea party in <a  
href="/en/regions/london/2007/03/366122.html"><i>"defense of our area,  
and to show off the lovely culture we have"</i></a> lasted for about 4  
hours. At 1pm local people turned up outside Starbucks to set up a  
stall and a small sound system, and to give out maps of the area which  
listed alternative local places to buy coffee and keep money within the  
local community. Others neighbours just came across to it and joined in  
for a hot drink or a plate of hot food provided by the group <a  
href="http://www.foodnotbombs.net/">Food Not Bombs</a>. Police  
eventually stepped in and threatened to arrest those gathering around  
the stall for obstruction of the highway, although no one was finally  
arrested.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Photos:</strong> <a  
href="/en/regions/london/2007/03/366306.html">1</a> | <a  
href="/en/regions/london/2007/03/366390.html">2</a> | <a  
href="http://www.urban75.org/photos/protest/starbucks-protest.html">3</ 
a>.
<br><br>
<strong>Related Links:</a> <a  
href="http://www.spacehijackers.org/html/projects.html">Space  
Hijackers' Projects Archive</a> | <a  
href="http://www.starbuckscoffee.org.uk/home.html">Starbucks - The  
Faulty Logo</a> | <a href="http://www.ihatestarbucks.com/">I Hate  
Starbucks</a>
</p>

Content:
<p>
<h3>Recent Anti-Starbucks Reports in IMC-UK:</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="/en/regions/london/2007/02/360718.html">No Starbucks in  
Stoke Newington</a> [<a  
href="/en/regions/london/2007/02/361406.html">more</a>]
<li><a href="/en/regions/london/2007/03/364507.html">Starbucks Picket  
at Cutty Sark Greenwich</a>
<li><a href="/en/2007/01/360474.html">Greenwich Starbucks protest</a>
<li><a href="/en/2007/02/361424.html">Anti-Starbucks picket in  
Cardiff</a>
<li><a href="/en/2006/06/341924.html">Starbucks Action in Brighton</a>
<li><a href="/en/2005/01/303753.html">Edinburgh Starbucks Picket</a>
<li><a href="/en/regions/sheffield/2005/11/327141.html">Starbucks- not  
in our neighbourhood, Sheffield</a>
</li></ul>