Last month, news broke that Apple was suing the French activist group, Attac, to bar it from future protests and asking for €3,000 in compensation. Today, the ruling is in. Not only can Attac continue to peacefully protest in Apple Stores, but the group will also be awarded €2,000 for legal fees.
Apple filed the lawsuit after several protests at Apple Stores staged by Attac (the Association for the Taxation of Financial Transactions and Aid to Citizens).
The latest incident included 100 members of the group peacefully protesting Apple’s tax practices by occupying the Paris flagship Apple Store last December. Apple said it filed the lawsuit because of concerns about employee and customer safety.
Attac shared the details of its win on its website today (via Mac Generation).
The injunction order opposing Apple Attac was made this Friday, February 23, 2018: Apple is dismissed all of its claims and sentenced to pay € 2,000 Attac!
The group said that the decision to reject Apple’s requests were important as the organization only works peacefully in the favor of public interest.
While tax evasion by Apple weakens public finances, it would have been scandalous that justice protects Apple and condemns an association that defends the public interest, with nonviolent citizen actions. In the end, not only are Apple’s accusations rejected outright, – Apple “speaks of acts of vandalism”, or actions that have endangered the safety of employees and customers […] without justifying by the production of evidence” – but the court confirms the general interest character of the Attac campaign.
As for what’s next, Attac is gearing up for more action to promote its positions on “tax justice.” If we had to guess, the next protest will likely be the group’s biggest yet.
Attac activists are calmly awaiting a call from Apple and will now devote all their energy to the preparation of new actions for tax justice, especially during the examination of the draft law against tax evasion planned before this summer.
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