Fake stickers promoting QR codes promising "free gifts" have been appearing on the windows of restaurants and stores across New York City. These stickers, emblazoned with enticing offers like free McDonald’s burgers or Starbucks coffee, have instead been redirecting unsuspecting users to graphic videos and incendiary messages targeting Israel.
The campaign, spearheaded by activists within the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, accuses Israel of war crimes and encourages boycotts against companies perceived as supportive of the Jewish state.
The stickers, which have been sighted on storefronts of major chains such as McDonald’s, Starbucks and Zara in Manhattan, lure passersby with QR codes that claim to unlock exclusive deals. Upon scanning, users are exposed to distressing images of injured Palestinian children accompanied by calls for action against Israel, including demands for boycotts and allegations of complicity in human rights violations.
One sticker placed on the window of a McDonald’s in Midtown falsely advertised free food but instead led to a digital flyer accusing the fast-food giant of “McGenocide” for its alleged provision of meals to the Israel Defense Forces. Similar stickers at Starbucks locations falsely promised free beverages, redirecting users to anti-Israel propaganda videos.
The campaign appears to be orchestrated by NJ PalAction, an activist group that has claimed responsibility for placing these stickers on storefronts in 68 locations across Manhattan.
"Curious customers who scan the codes are confronted with horrific images from Gaza where Israel continues to murder, maim, starve and displace Palestinians for over 430 days. They are reminded that these brands are complicit and have no place on this year’s holiday shopping list," the organization stated on social media.
"No celebration until liberation We call for an immediate arms embargo, an end to the siege on Gaza, and an end to 76 years of dispossession, occupation and apartheid in Palestine by Israel and the U.S.," the statement also said.
In addition to disseminating its message, the group has used social media to encourage supporters to create and distribute these deceptive stickers in their own neighborhoods. It offers downloadable PDFs for at-home printing, contingent on proof of a donation to organizations like the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) or the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF). Both organizations have faced scrutiny over alleged ties to extremist groups.
Local residents have expressed alarm over the accessibility of these materials to children and the graphic nature of the videos linked through the QR codes.
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“This is part of a calculated effort to shock and disturb New Yorkers,” said Gerard Filitti, senior counsel at The Lawfare Project, an organization dedicated to combating antisemitism. “It’s nothing less than an act of Jew hatred disguised as political activism.”
Beyond the moral outrage, there are also legal questions surrounding the campaign. According to Filitti the stickers not only deface private property but also misuse the intellectual property of major corporations. Companies targeted by the campaign, including Starbucks and McDonald’s, have yet to respond publicly.
Filitti emphasized the importance of pursuing legal action against the activist. “These actions constitute vandalism and the deliberate spreading of disinformation. Companies must hold those responsible accountable in court," he said.