All Charges Against Teen Who Protested Starbucks’ Speciesist Upcharge Dropped

All charges against a 13-year-old PETA supporter named Evan have been dropped after he was wrongfully arrested on trespassing charges on March 8 while peacefully protesting against Starbucks for charging extra for the vegan milks it agrees are better for the planet.

Why Was a 13-Year-Old Arrested at Starbucks?

Evan and his family were joining other PETA supporters at a Starbucks store near Orlando, Florida—and although the store manager had given the protesters permission to hold a sit-in there, the coffee giant later called the police on the group.

When police directed the group to leave, Evan was complying by gathering up “Starbucks: Stop Vegan Upcharge” signs when an officer grabbed him, shoved him face-down onto a table, handcuffed him, and illegally questioned him without reading him his rights.

Starbucks’ hypocrisy apparently knows no bounds, from charging more for vegan milks to having a child arrested for asking it to reconsider.

PETA applauds Evan for standing up for calves and the loving mothers they are torn away from by the dairy industry and urges everyone to take inspiration from this passionate young activist by ditching dairy.

Workers in the dairy industry repeatedly forcibly impregnate cows and take their calves from them within a day of birth. The milk meant to nourish the babies is stolen and sold to humans. Once a cow’s body wears out from repeated pregnancies, she’s sent to slaughter.

Be Like Evan: Ask Starbucks to Stop Charging Extra for Vegan Milk!

Starbucks should encourage customers to choose animal-friendly, vegan milk rather than cow’s milk. Many other chains—including Panera Bread, Pret A Manger, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Noah’s New York Bagels, and Philz Coffee—already offer dairy-free milk at no extra charge. Starbucks in the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, and the U.K. and most of the company’s stores in France have already dropped the vegan milk upcharge.