Apple Goes to Court With French Tax Activist Group That Paints Company as The Empire From Star Wars

[MacRumors]

Last month, Apple sued French tax activist group "Attac" for occupying its flagship Parisian store during a protest of what Attac called "wide-scale tax evasion." Today, Apple has asked the court in Paris to ban the group from its French stores and prevent any further stunts from happening.

In response to the court filing, Attac today mobilized in front of the court in further protest, sporting a Star Wars theme that equates Apple to The Empire and Tim Cook to Emperor Palpatine (via The Guardian and MacGeneration).

Image via @attac_fr​

The court will rule later in February on the case, and Apple is said to hope for a full ban to prevent any Attac members entering or being near its Apple retail locations. Apple said the group "vandalizes" its stores and potentially "endangers" staff and customers. One protest in November 2017 saw Attac write "Apple pay your taxes" on a window at Apple Aix-en-Provence. Following Apple's claims, the group said its protests are "good natured."

At the height of the Christmas shopping period last December, about 100 Attac volunteers arrived at Apple's Paris store at Place de l'Opéra. Some danced the conga, others unfurled a huge banner saying "We'll stop when Apple pays" and some brandished huge cardboard cheques in reference to the European commission ruling in August 2016 that the iPhone maker must reimburse the Irish state a record EUR13bn (£11.5bn) to make up for what it considered to be unpaid taxes over a number of years.

In the case filing, Apple said that it has "a long tradition of supporting individuals and groups that peacefully express their opinions," but the company believes the vandalism of its stores and potential danger to its customers are steps too far. In addition to the ban, Apple France has asked the court to fine the activist group 150,000 EUR, and 3,000 EUR in commercial damages "if they break the ban."

Images via @attac_fr and @Soltrumbo​

An Attac spokesperson denied the vandalism reports from 2017 and said the group "simply went into Apple shops in a festive and good-natured way with music and theatre."

Attac's lawyer Julien Pignon told France Info: "These demands are totally out of proportion with regard to the superior principle of freedom of expression and freedom to demonstrate which is guaranteed by French law and the European convention on human rights."

Attac's ire is focused on tax avoidance claims lodged at Apple over the past few years. In August 2016, the European Commission ruled that Apple must repay 13 billion euros ($15.46 billion) in back taxes dating between 2003 and 2014, which it reportedly avoided with the help of sweetheart tax deals from Ireland. Now, Apple will begin paying the back taxes owed to Ireland around March, expected to continue through September.

The French court is expected to announce its decision on the case on Friday, February 23.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: Apple Goes to Court With French Tax Activist Group That Paints Company as The Empire From Star Wars

 

[ericgtr12]

This thread is worthless without the Darth Vader theme playing in the background.

Enjoy...

 

[theheadguy]

Images via @attac_fr and @Soltrumbo​

​

This art is fantastic. I approve solely because of this.

 

[jdillings]

Can we trade BLM for these Stormtrooper wearin' tax activists?

 

[timber]

 

[miniyou64]

Ahhh communism sucks.

 

[radiology]

This made my day! Great art work!

Is Apple against free speech?

 

[samcraig]

Meanwhile in the US, ATT is suing Attac for infringing on their "ownership" of the death star

 

[lolkthxbai]

What i wanna know is on what machine the apple death star and tim cook photos were made

 

[Wondercow]

This made my day! Great art work!

Is Apple against free speech?

Where in the piece does it show or imply that Apple is against free speech? Apple doesn't want them trespassing, damaging property, or obstructing and endangering customers and staff.

Also, free speech means the government won't unnecessarily limit a person's expression; it doesn't apply at all to private parties.

 

[KazKam]

I expect this type of behavior from the French, because they're, you know, French. But the fact that this socialist/communist mentality is actually taking root in the US is, quite honestly, scaring the **** out of me.

If I were Apple, I'd just pull out of France. They'd probably sell just as many iPhones there on the gray/black market.

 

[chucker23n1]

Bit hard to suss out the good/bad player in this.

Apple may have gone a bit far with their tax shenanigans. Attac may have gone a bit far with their protests.

 

[cmwade77]

I am not sure about in France, but in the U.S., protesters can be on public property, they cannot enter private property to protest like this.

Personally, I think everywhere has overly complicated tax codes, let's just abolish all income taxes and move a flat sales tax.

 

[windywalks]

Wow, they have time at that time of day?
Someone needs to get a job and pay taxes them selves.

 

[SigEp265]

They just wanted an excuse to dress up as a storm trooper.

 

[magicschoolbus]

A little surprised by the comments here.

It's no surprise that Apple avoids taxes. How does this make them communists/socialists? I am all for capitalism, and agree that soclist ideas are taking place in the US; but how does the public protesting a company to pay taxes make them socialists?

 

[jimbobb24]

I love others peoples money. I want as much as I can. Seems the only path forward is to enter politics. Now I just need to pick a team and go out there and promise free stuff, and get that money flowing to me.

There is no such thing as “tax evasion” like these people think. We all evade every tax we can. If Apple is breaking the law they should be punished. Law is law (except in US for me as a future politician I can do whatever I want). If not breaking the law the are simply trying to avoid paying what they can.

 

[KazKam]

A little surprised by the comments here.

It's no surprise that Apple avoids taxes. How does this make them communists/socialists? I am all for capitalism, and agree that soclist ideas are taking place in the US; but how does the public protesting a company to pay taxes make them socialists?

Um, the fact that they're socialists makes them socialists. Apple does pay their taxes, as little as legally possible, as is their right and obligation to shareholders... just not as much in taxes as this group thinks they should. They see deep pockets and a successful company, so they stick their hand out, then cry like babies when their hand gets slapped away. Apple isn't in business for charity, they're in business to make money. As much money as LEGALLY possible. And I believe they should be allowed to do so.

 

[Gutwrench]

Are they going to court WITH or AGAINST???????

Apple Goes to Court With French Tax Activist Group That Paints Company as The Empire From Star Wars

 

[Zimmy68]

I'm not sure what the case in France is, but as a big Apple critic, I laugh at these Euro protesters.

A country makes a tax friendly deal with Apple.
All parties agree to contract.
Apple sets up the business.

People are now outraged that Apple is avoiding taxes and they conveniently forget the government that made the deal.

 

[jarman92]

First of all, those posters are hysterical.

Second, its rich to see the French try to lecture any American entity on "freedom of expression." You can be jailed for something as innocuous as controversial speech in France (and most of Europe).

 

[alex2792]

Can we trade BLM for these Stormtrooper wearin' tax activists?

Do they have potty mouths? Do they attract a lot of violent urban youth? Do they block traffic? If the answer is no then I’m onboard with that trade!

 

[justperry]

I'm not sure what the case in France is, but as a big Apple critic, I laugh at these Euro protesters.

A country makes a tax friendly deal with Apple.
All parties agree to contract.
Apple sets up the business.

People are now outraged that Apple is avoiding taxes and they conveniently forget the government that made the deal.

You forgot one thing, Ireland is part of Europe.

First of all, those posters are hysterical.

Second, its rich to see the French try to lecture any American entity on "freedom of expression." You can be jailed for something as innocuous as controversial speech in France (and most of Europe).

Nonsense.

 

[Glideslope]

Forget about the EU. 15-20 years left if that.

 

[justperry]

As of some posters comments, so typical as expected.