Space Hijackers and Reverent Billy Starbucks demo

Icon_article Star-blue1 Published: June 03, 2009 21:17 by M

Tagged as: culture economic_crisis environmentalism repression social_struggles solidarity workers_struggles
Neighbourhoods: brick_lane spittlefields spittlefields_market starbucks whitechapel

A Demo against Starbucks by the Space Hijackers (www.spacehijackers.co.uk) and The Reverend Billy (www.revbilly.com) in the form of a mock funeral. Sunday 31st May 2009

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Taking the Coffin to Starbucks

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Parade through Spittlefields, pausing outside Tesco

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Parade through Spittlefields, Brick Lane

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Sermon and song outside Starbucks, Whitechappel

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Sermon and song outside Starbucks, Whitechappel

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Sermon and song outside Starbucks, Whitechappel

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Sermon and song outside Starbucks, Whitechappel

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Sermon and song outside Starbucks, Whitechappel

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Free tea and cakes outside Starbucks, Whitechappel

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Parade through Spittlefields, Hawksmoor Church

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Parade through Spittlefields, Ten Bells

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Parade through Spittlefields Market

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Starbucks Spittlefields

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Starbucks Spittlefields

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Starbucks Spittlefields

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Starbucks Spittlefields...the angry looking woman is the manager

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Starbucks Spittlefields

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Parade through Spittlefields

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Parade through Spittlefields

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Parade through Spittlefields Market

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Sermon and song outside Starbucks, Whitechappel

A Demo against Starbucks by the Space Hijackers (www.spacehijackers.co.uk) and The Reverend Billy (www.revbilly.com) in the form of a mock funeral. This was a part of the Reverend's 2009 UK Shopocalypse Tour. Protesters entered the Spittlefields branch of Starbusks carrying a coffin with 'East End RIP' writen on the front. On the sides were enscribed 'the nippleless she-devil mermaid merchents have arrived' and 'the beginning of the end for the East End'. Inside there was a 'sermon' from Rev. Billy and some singing.

After that the coffin was carried in procession through Spittlefields Market (despite the interjections of security) and picked up a police escourt. Past the Ten Bells down Fournier St and down Brick Lane. The procession paused briefly outside Tesco on Whitechappel high st where the Rev had to be 'restrained' by his ontourage from temptation before concluding at Starbucks Whitechapel branch.

On attempting to enter the protesters were informed that the branch was closed. The police formed a small phalanx in front of the coffee house while A choir formed to sing hymes about fair trade coffee and what seemed to be ethiopian bio-piracy blends while a helicopter hovered overhead.

Tea and cakes were handed out free to passers-by and a general festive atmosphere was maintained...

 

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