Michael Malarkey, known for his role in The Vampire Diaries, recently advocated for a boycott of Starbucks during a public appearance, declining to drink one of the company’s beverages onstage.
“I don’t drink Starbucks coffee, I boycott Starbucks and you all should too”
British-American actor Michael Malarkey threw a Starbucks coffee and refused to drink it urging the boycott of Starbucks due to its complicity in the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/ncOWbqpIcP
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) November 20, 2024
This comes amid widespread calls for boycotts of brands perceived as supporting Israel in its ongoing conflict with Gaza following the October 7 Hamas attacks. Starbucks has faced criticism after its workers’ union, Starbucks Workers United, shared a pro-Palestinian solidarity post on X (formerly Twitter). Starbucks responded by taking legal action against the union, clarifying that the message was unauthorized and falsely associated with the company.
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In a widely shared video, Malarkey examined a Starbucks cup handed to him, expressed displeasure, and set it aside, urging the audience to boycott the brand. His stance aligns with previous posts on his Instagram where he voiced support for Palestinians and called for a ceasefire in Gaza. The actor, born in Lebanon, has previously spoken about his family fleeing the country following Israel’s 1982 invasion.
The clip of Malarkey’s boycott statement has gone viral, sparking discussions online. Starbucks has not yet publicly commented on the incident.
Over the past year, Michael Malarkey has shared numerous Instagram posts expressing support for the Palestinian people and advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza.
In a 2021 interview with MintPress News, Malarkey reflected on his family’s departure from Lebanon during his childhood following Israel’s 1982 invasion of Beirut. The invasion was aimed at countering attacks by Palestinian armed groups, with Israel occupying parts of Lebanon until 2000.
More recently, tensions between Lebanon and Israel have escalated. This month, Lebanon filed a formal complaint with the United Nations, condemning a series of deadly explosions caused by rigged communication devices. These attacks, which began in mid-September, reportedly targeted Hezbollah members, killing at least 37 people and injuring thousands.