Starbucks sued Workers United in federal court in Iowa Wednesday, saying a pro-Palestinian social media post from a union account early in the Israel-Hamas war angered hundreds of customers and damaged its reputation.

Starbucks is suing for trademark infringement, demanding that Workers United stop using the name “Starbucks Workers United” for the group that is organizing the coffee company’s workers.

Starbucks also wants the group to stop using a circular green logo that resembles Starbucks’ logo.

Workers United responded with its own filing, asking a federal court in Pennsylvania to rule that it can continue to use Starbucks’ name and a similar logo.

Workers United also said Starbucks defamed the union by implying that it supports terrorism and violence.

[The union implied that with its “solidarity with Palestine!” messaging just days after Hamas massacred over 1300 Israeli civilians in an invasion on 10/7. I’m pretty sure that the union will be considered a “public person” under the Sullivan standard, and that their public declaration of support for Hamas — shown in a picture of the bulldozer attack on the wall that preceded the invasion — can be reasonably interpreted as support for “terrorism and violence.” FAFO. — Ed]