PARIS: The order states that the mere presence of protesters at Apple’s stores in France, without violence, vandalism, or customers being blocked from entering the premises, is not enough to justify limiting the group’s rights to freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly protected by human rights laws in Europe.
Attac is a voluntary association that has been accusing Apple of corporate tax evasion in Europe, in line with the European Commission ordering Ireland to recover around 13 billion euros in back taxes from the iPhone.Attac has a different view. In a blog post published today, the association said it is “defending the public interest” with “non-violent citizen actions,” and it has previously called its actions “festive and good-natured.”
Apple has yet to comment on today’s decision, and it’s unclear if it will exercise other legal options in its fight against Attac.
