Vampire Diaries actor Michael Malarkey has called for a boycott of Starbucks after refusing to drink the company’s premium coffee at an event. The coffee chain has faced calls for a boycott from pro-Palestinian supporters who have accused it of supporting Israel amid the ongoing war in Gaza following the October 7 Hamas attacks.

The popular coffee chain became involved in controversy when its employee union, Starbucks Workers United, expressed support for Palestinians in a post on Twitter. The union’s statement, as well as Starbucks’ legal response to the union, have led to more calls for a boycott.

In the clip, Malarkey, 41, refused to drink coffee on stage during an event despite the brand being a sponsor.

Watch the video here:

Malarkey explained that his decision was inspired by a boycott of the coffee brand in protest of its support of Israel. At the event, he also encouraged attendees to boycott the brand and other companies that support Israel.

The controversy started with a fake letter alleging that the coffee brand was funding israeli army, This caused outrage, especially in areas sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. The boycott gained momentum, especially on social media platforms like TikTok and X, where the hashtag #boycottstarbucks received millions of views.

However, the company has strongly denied allegations of supporting Israel or any other government or military action in the Middle East.