Updated 12:05 p.m. Dec. 13.
A State College area Starbucks became the latest of the coffee chain’s stores nationwide to temporarily close after being vandalized.
The Starbucks at 2030 N. Atherton St. was closed for repairs on Tuesday after someone smashed its glass front door, damaged a window and spray painted graffiti on the side of the building late Monday night.
The front door of the store was boarded on Tuesday afternoon, and a surveillance camera image obtained by StateCollege.com showed ‘Free’ spray painted on the building before going out of frame. A person who observed the graffiti before it was cleaned told StateCollege.com it read “Free Palestine.” Another image of someone cleaning the graffiti during the day on Tuesday showed “Free Pales” in spray paint still visible before it was fully removed from the side of the building.
A Starbucks spokesperson said the store would reopen on Wednesday.
“The experience and well-being of our partners and customers is core to our operation and we continue to work with local police to support their investigation,” the spokesperson said.
Patton Township police are investigating.
Surveillance video showed one person damaging the building between 11 and 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, according to a police statement. Anyone who may have seen suspicious activity or who has information related to the case is asked to contact Patton Township police at 1-800-479-0050.
Surveillance camera images obtained by StateCollege.com showed a figure approaching the store from behind at 11:16 p.m. on Tuesday, according to a time stamp, then standing near the graffiti.
Several Starbucks locations, including stores in Washington, California, North Carolina, Texas and Massachusetts, have seen similar vandalism after calls for a boycott of the company related to the Israel-Hamas war. Starbucks sued Workers United, the union organizing its employees, for using the company’s name and a similar logo in pro-Palestinian social media posts, which Starbucks says led to more than 1,000 complaints and damaged its reputation.
Workers United filed its own suit asking a federal court to rule that it could continue using the name and logo, and accusing Starbucks of defaming the union, according to the Associated Press.
