The University Village Apple Store in Seattle, Washington, closed early on Black Friday, November 29, 2024, due to the protest outside its premises. Protesters called out Apple over alleged child labor and its ties to issues in Palestine and the Congo, as reported by Apple Insider.
Protestor Flowers Smith told local news station KomoNews, “This is the biggest shopping days of the year. It’s the biggest day for consumers and the day they make the most money off the hands of people as young as 5-years-old in the mines.”
The exact number of protestors was not confirmed, but video footage suggested between six and eight individuals were present. Seattle police issued trespass warnings to the demonstrators after the store’s closure.
Back in April 2024, a similar protest hit the Lincoln Park Apple Store in Chicago, calling out Apple’s treatment of employees wearing pro-Palestinian gear.
Apple has previously denied allegations of sourcing materials from conflict regions in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The company has not yet issued a statement regarding this protest though.
The University Village Apple Store, which opened in 2018, was originally scheduled to remain open until 8 PM local time on Black Friday.