In a striking protest against alleged exploitation in the Congo by tech firms including Apple, activists from Fridays For Future (FFF) vandalized the Apple Store on Rosenthaler Strasse in Berlin. The activists spray-painted the store with red paint to highlight what they claim are exploitative practices within Apple's supply chain.
Apple has faced accusations of sourcing tin, tungsten, tantalum, and cobalt from conflict zones in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). While Apple asserts that it has ceased using these conflict materials and has removed non-compliant suppliers, activists remain skeptical.
Dorcas Mugo, a representative of FFF, stated, "More than 60 percent of the cobalt for Apple or Tesla technology comes from the Congo and means that children at the age of seven have to start working in the mines." Mugo further highlighted the severe poverty faced by the Congolese people despite the profits made by companies like Apple.
The protest coincided with the Day of Action Against Exploitation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Activists aimed to draw public attention to the human rights abuses and environmental degradation allegedly linked to the mining of essential tech materials.
This demonstration follows a letter from the DRC government to Apple, requesting proof that it no longer uses conflict materials. Apple, in response to similar concerns, informed the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2022 that it had removed numerous smelters and refiners from its supply chain to ensure responsible sourcing. Since 2009, Apple claims to have excluded 163 smelters and refiners from its supply chain.
Robert Amsterdam, a lawyer representing the DRC, criticized big tech companies, alleging that they falsely claim their minerals are sourced from Rwanda, a country with minimal production of the 3T minerals.
As part of the ongoing protest, the FFF has planned a speech in front of the Apple Store at 5 PM local time. So far, Apple's other Berlin store on Kurfurstendamm has not been targeted.
