Stanford students to stage sit-in at Starbucks to protest Israel: 'Pledge to BDS'
A Stanford student group plans to stage a sit-in at a Starbucks location on campus to protest Israel.
A Stanford University pro-Palestine group says it will stage a sit-in at a Starbucks on campus to protest Israel and pledge their commitment to the Boycott, Sanction, and Divest movement.
Sit in to Stop Genocide at Stanford University said in an Instagram post that the sit-in would take place Thursday through Saturday between 9:00 a.m. through 7:30 p.m. “to reclaim the community space Stanford wants to take from us while pledging NOT to buy from Starbucks.”
”While Stanford took down the sit-in we invite you to reclaiming space as a community. Join us between Thursday and Saturday from 9:00 am to 7:30pm as we will be sitting at Starbucks in our pledge to BDS,” the group wrote. “BDS is a long-term commitment to fostering an economic system where our choices do not contribute to other people’s suffering.”
”Bring your keffiyeh/flag/sign, your homework and friends. We have strength in our collectivity!” it added.
Starbucks has no locations in Israel and wrote in a December 2023 statement it has “no political agenda.”
”Our position remains unchanged. Starbucks stands for humanity. We condemn violence, the loss of innocent life and all hate and weaponized speech,” the coffee chain wrote.
As reported by Campus Reform, Stanford Sit-in to Stop Genocide staged a sit-in on campus for 120 days, which ended on Feb. 17.
Stanford Sit-in to Stop Genocide posted a screenshot of a letter from the school’s administration on Feb. 13, stating administration will hold meetings on the group’s demands if they end the sit-in on Friday at 8 p.m.
During those meetings, Stanford administrators held two negotiation sessions and agreed to four demands from the group, according to the Stanford Daily. It’s unclear which demands the university has agreed to. Campus Reform has reached out to the university for clarification.
Organizers for the sit-in told the outlet that Stanford President Richard Saller and Provost Jenny Martinez both agreed to “deliberate about coordinating with Palestinian students to release a statement about their experiences over the past four months.”
Stanford Sit-in to Stop Genocide has demanded that the university call for an “immediate ceasefire in Gaza,” provide resources for Palestinian students on campus, identify how the university’s research and teaching environments are “biased against Palestinians,” commit to the boycott, divest, and sanction movement, and create 5 student seats on the Special Committee on Investment Responsibility.
