Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Why Starbucks? The brands attacked in Hong Kong

Why Starbucks? The brands attacked in Hong Kong

For Hong Kong businesses, voicing support for China or the police can make them a target.

Broken glass, raging fires, and smashed up barricades: the pictures from Hong Kong in the past few days look like random chaos.

But in the middle of the violence, most activists are being deliberate about the places they attack.

So why are protesters targeting Starbucks? And the metro? And certain shops, restaurants and banks?


There are obvious targets...


Hong Kong is complex, but can largely be divided into those who support the protesters and their anti-Beijing stance, and those supportive of the mainland.

So when peaceful protests turned into violence against property, big mainland firms like Bank of China and tech company Xiaomi became targets for vandalism and spray-painting.

But other less-obvious places are also in the firing line.


Why Starbucks?


While Starbucks may be a US brand, the Hong Kong franchise it is operated by a local company, Maxim's Caterers.

Annie Wu, the daughter of the Maxim Group's founder, recently defended Hong Kong's police and criticised activists as "radical protesters".

She made her comments with billionaire businesswoman Pansy Ho, representing the Hong Kong Federation of Women, at the United Nations Human Rights Council on 11 September.

The two criticised "a small group of radical protesters" using "systematic and calculated violent acts".

So protesters started directing their anger against Maxim's and the franchises it operates.

The restaurant group is one of Hong Kong's largest, and includes other brands such as Genki Sushi and Arome bakery, which have also been targeted.

Maxim's Caterers issued a statement saying Ms Wu "does not hold any position at the company" and was not involved in managerial decisions - but so far this has failed to satisfy protesters.


Hong Kong protests - key facts


Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of China, so has some autonomy and people have more rights


Protests started in June against a controversial law which would have allowed Hong Kong criminal suspects to be sent to China to stand trial


The law has been withdrawn but protests have widened to demand full democracy


Clashes between police and activists have been becoming increasingly violent


In October, the city banned all face masks to try to shut down the protests


Japanese fast food chain Yoshinoya has also come into the crosshairs.

After there was confusion about a Facebook post - which some read as coded criticism of police - the operator of the Hong Kong franchise said he supported the police and government.

Before long, Yoshinoya restaurants had their windows smashed and graffiti all over their walls.


Are triads involved?


Another targeted brand is Best Mart 360, a chain of small grocery stores. It's an example of the divisions running within the Hong Kong population.

The boss of Best Mart 360 is Hugo Lam Chi-fung, permanent honorary president of the Hong Kong Federation of Fujian Associations which has held several demonstrations in support of China.

Fujian is a Chinese province, from where many people have emigrated to Hong Kong over the years. Hong Kong's Fujianese community has been vocal in supporting the city's police force.

Those demonstrations have led to clashes with activists - who have accused their opponents of being part of the Fujian triad gangs, a form of organised crime.

Best Mart 360 has released several statements, insisting it is not linked to any Fujian triad.

The triad allegation has also been levelled against a mahjong house in a part of town home to the Fujianese community. Mahjong is a Chinese tile game, played socially.

The Yi Pei Square house was accused of hiding pro-Beijing thugs who attacked local residents.

The parlour has released a statement saying they are not Fujianese and in fact support the protesters' demands.


Mix-ups and apologies


There also have been cases where places have become the target of activists' anger based on mistaken assumptions of China ties.

The Shanghai Commercial Bank is not mainland-owned but - despite its name - based in Hong Kong.

The Yifang bubble tea chain was also wrongly associated with the mainland when in fact it's from Taiwan.

In both those cases, the protesters wrongly targeted outlets only to later issue an apology and in some cases even help in the cleanup.

In order to avoid such mix-ups and to coordinate action, the activists have even come up with a colour-coding system.

The colours black, red and blue are used online to differentiate between thrashing a place, spay-painting it or simply boycotting it.

In the case of shops thought to support the protests, they're marked yellow with a call to actively support them.


So why target public transport?


Stations along Hong Kong's MTR metro system have repeatedly been attacked, vandalised or even set on fire during the unrest.

The MTR is privatised, with the Hong Kong government as the largest shareholders.

In mid-August, the operator was criticised by Chinese state media for helping "rioters" move around and protest across the city.

After that, the MTR began shutting certain stations before people could gather for demonstrations. At one point the entire network was shut down.

Activists also accuse the operator of allegedly helping the police to arrest protesters, and for not releasing CCTV footage of alleged police brutality.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
EU Majority Demands Hungary Reverse Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
Top Hotel Picks for 2025 Stays in Budapest Revealed
Iron Maiden Unveils 2025 Tour Setlist in Budapest
Chinese Film Week Opens in Budapest to Promote Cultural Exchange
Budapest Airport Launches Direct Flights to Shymkent
Von der Leyen Denies Urging EU Officials to Skip Budapest Pride
Alcaraz and Sinner Advance with Convincing Wins at Roland Garros
EU Ministers Lack Consensus on Sanctioning Hungary Over Rule of Law
EU Nations Urge Action Against Hungary's Pride Parade Ban
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
U.S. Considers Withdrawing Troops from Europe
Russia Deploys Motorbike Squads in Ukraine Conflict
Critics Accuse European Court of Human Rights of Overreach
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Non-EU Holiday Home Purchases
German Intelligence Labels AfD as Far-Right Extremist
Geert Wilders Threatens Dutch Coalition Over Migration Policy
Hungary Faces Multiple Challenges Amid EU Tensions and Political Shifts
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Any trade deal with US must be based on respect not threats', says EU commissioner
UK Leads in Remote Work Adoption, Averaging 1.8 Days a Week
Thirteen Killed in Russian Attacks Across Ukraine
High-Profile Incidents and Political Developments Dominate Global News
Netanyahu Accuses Western Leaders of 'Emboldening Hamas'
Ukraine and Russia Conduct Largest Prisoner Exchange of the War
×