Starbucks CEO says 'misrepresentation' fueling protests against company stance on Israel-Hamas war

Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan told employees in a memo this week that the protests over the company's stance on the Israel-Hamas war are being fueled by "misrepresentation on social media." 

The memo to employees, posted to the company's website Tuesday, was the first time Narasimhan pubically addressed the protests, but it was not the first time the company has affirmed its position on the war and condemned the violence overseas that started with the Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7. 

"Cities around the world — including here in North America — have seen escalating protests," Narasimhan said. "Many of our stores have experienced incidents of vandalism. We see protestors influenced by misrepresentation on social media of what we stand for."

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The company has been working with authorities to ensure its workers and customers remain safe. 

However, Narasimhan, who took over the company less than a year ago, stressed concerns that the conflicts in many parts of the world have "unleashed violence against the innocent, hate and weaponized speech, and lies," all of which the company says it condemns.

His concerns arose after people were associating comments made by Workers United, the group trying to organize Starbucks workers, as views held by the company. 

In October, the company took legal action against Workers United after the union made a now-deleted post that reflected its "support for violence perpetrated by Hamas."

Shortly after Hamas invaded southern Israel on Oct. 7, the Starbucks Workers United account posted "Solidarity with Palestine!" on X. 

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In order to disassociate from the group, Starbucks sued Workers United for using its name, logo and intellectual property.

"The actions taken by the union have nothing to do with its representation of the minority of partners who voted for them to bargain on their behalf," the company said in a previous statement, adding that "their continued statements have led to Starbucks partners, including some they represent, being threatened and subjected to graphic messages." 

The company asserted that Workers United, including its local affiliates, union organizers and those who identify as members of "Starbucks Workers United," "do not speak for Starbucks Coffee Company and do not represent our company’s views, positions, or beliefs."

However, in a lawsuit filed in Pennsylvania, the union argued that the post was "not authorized by the leadership of Workers United or Starbucks Workers United, and it was deleted after approximately 30-40 minutes."

Workers United also asked a Pennsylvania court to rule that it can still use the name and a similar logo, arguing that "Workers United have maintained an identity that is clearly independent from that of Starbucks," according to legal documents. 

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Starbucks is one of several companies that have been under pressure to publicly state its position on the war, which started on Oct. 7 when Hamas terrorists invaded Israel from the Gaza Strip. Israel's government declared war in response. Since then, Israeli forces have raided the Gaza Strip and have carried out numerous airstrikes. 

The Hamas-led Health Ministry in Gaza claims nearly 20,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel and 1.9 million displaced since the start of the war.