The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office is investigating anti-Israel/pro-Palestine graffiti and property damage overnight Monday into Tuesday at four Starbucks stores in Ashburn.
The exteriors of the Starbucks were spray painted with various words and symbols, which have since been removed or covered by store employees, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Employees of the locations reported the incidents upon arriving for work Tuesday morning. The sheriff’s office believes the incidents are related.
“Hate speech and destruction of property will not be tolerated in Loudoun County,” said Sheriff Mike Chapman in the release. “We are actively investigating these incidents as we do all similar acts and are determined to identify and charge whoever is responsible.”
The Starbucks affected are in the Ashbrook, Broadlands, Pipeline, and One Loudoun shopping centers. All stores remain open for business.
In a statement to InsideNoVa, a Starbucks spokesperson said false statements about the company have led to “some acts of vandalism.”
“We are aware of vandalism occurring overnight on May 20 at several of our stores in Ashburn. The experience and well-being of our partners and customers is core to who we are, and we continue to work with local authorities to support their ongoing investigation,” the statement read. “False statements that have been made about who we are and what we stand for are being shared through social media, which has led to some acts of vandalism. Starbucks has never contributed to any government or military operation in any way.”
Anyone who believes they witnessed any of these incidents or who may have any information is asked to contact Detective Coderre at 703-777-1021.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
