Police call vandalization of Starbucks sign in Glen Rock a 'bias incident'
The Starbucks sign located on Rock Road in Glen Rock’s Central Business District was vandalized with red paint and stickers early Monday morning in what Glen Rock police are calling a "bias incident."
Glen Rock Chief of Police Dean Ackerman says the stickers that were located on the sides of the logo read: "From the U.S. to Palestine, abolish the settler state" and "There was never a land without people."
Ackerman said the "Jewish community of Glen Rock takes the message as antisemitic and threatening."
Red paint was splashed on the top of the sign and dripped down to the bottom of the logo.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-Wyckoff, sent out a tweet in response to the vandalization: "This is disgusting. Since Oct. 7, there have been more than 3,200 antisemitic incidents across our nation according to the ADL."
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Others online expressed opinions that the messages in the stickers on the sign were not threats of antisemitism. One user with a thousand followers replied to the Gottheimer tweet reading: "you and everyone else need to stop referring to folks concerned about Palestinians as anti-Israel, antisemitic."
Boycotts against the coffee chain emerged a few months ago after the corporation stated that it disagrees with the statements and sentiments of its union, referring to a tweet put out by Starbucks Workers United saying: "Solidarity with Palestine!"
Past protests
Many New Jersey residents such as those who participated in the Pro-Palestine "Day of Action" after-school march a couple of weeks ago have shown concerns with those in Gaza, while Pro-Israel marches have also be seen throughout the state.
AP recently reported that over 29,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war, citing the Gaza Health Ministry.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the attack will continue until until “total victory” against Hamas, which attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking about 250 hostage.
The vandalizers referring to Israel as a "settler state" echoes sentiments expressed by Amnesty International, a human rights organization, who have called Israel an apartheid state.
The management of Starbucks promptly reported this incident and is cooperating with the Glen Rock Police Department.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Glen Rock Starbucks sign vandalized in 'bias incident', police say
