NEWS RELEASE - 31st October 2002

Armed Badgers Storm Oxford Street Starbucks in Central London to Build
Illegal Settlement - "If Israel can, we can"

On Thursday 31st October at 3.00pm, 30 badgers armed with waterpistols
stormed the Starbucks on Oxford St claiming it as their ancestral home.
Using the logic of Israeli settlers[1] the badgers evicted some of the
customers and erected the first badger settlement in London.
With placards proclaiming "If it works in Palestine why not here" and "It's
ours because we say so" the self-styled Badger Defence Force set up
checkpoints to inspect shoppers and tourists for concealed weapons. "If
they're not a badger, they could be a terrorist" a spokesbadger said. They
handed out copies of the badger bible which proves their ownership of
Starbucks and a fact sheet which answered Frequently Asked Questions about
their activities (see documents attached together with 8 photos).
The badgers have selected the store for their settlement because of the role
of its CEO as a major supporter of the Israeli state. The company has become
a prime target of an international boycott of companies with ties to
Israel[2].
A spokesbadger said "Since the chief executive of this company clearly
believes it is ok for one group of people to grab land belonging to another
and say they have a right to it, we believe they won't mind if we take some
of theirs".

For further information contact: Mortaza Sahibzada on 07946 351319 or
Chris Dunham on 07904 267306 or Nicholas Blincoe 02077304254


Notes for the Editor:
[1] The number of Israeli settlers in the West Bank and Gaza is now almost 400,000 in 308 illegal settlements
. These settlements are illegal under the Fourth Geneva Convention and UN resolutions.
[2] This action forms part of a growing international campaign, styled on the anti-apartheid movement of the 70s and 80s, to end the illegal occupation by Israel of Palestinian territories. This has included the disruption of Israeli cultural and sporting events in the UK as well as non-violent actions in Israel and Palestine. Many participants in this action have travelled to Palestine as part of the International Solidarity Movement to act as human shields for Palestinians. In April this year, 6 of its members were shot by the Israeli Defence Force and some of its members entered the Church of the Nativity during the Israeli siege. The group is committed to non-violence.