Animal-Rights Group Angered By Vandalism Claim

Police are investigating vandalism at five Starbucks Coffee locations and admit they erred when they said an animal-rights organization had claimed responsibility.

Constable Anne Drennan initially said at a news conference Tuesday morning that the Coalition for No Whales in Captivity said it had mashed windows and doors and covered walls with graffiti. She later recanted.

The coalition is organizing a boycott of the popular Seattle-based coffee chain and other sponsors of the Vancouver Aquarium because the aquarium has whales. But a spokeswoman said it was not responsible for the vandalism.

“Nobody ever contacted us,” coalition director Annelise Sorg said. “(Police) just assumed that our group had taken responsibility and that is completely outrageous. I mean, we are not that kind of group at all.”

The graffiti included the phrase “No Whales in Captivity.”

The coalition has called for a boycott of Starbucks because the company donates money to the aquarium for education programs - about $20,000 this year.

The coalition wants Starbucks to give the money to whale-release programs instead, such as the foundation established to release the killer-whale star of Free Willy.

The aquarium has two killer whales and six belugas, including a female calf born last month.

Sorg said there is no possibility a coalition member acted alone against Starbucks.

“There’s no way. I mean, we’re all law-abiding citizens. None of us has a criminal record,” she said.