An Australian cafe is imposing tariffs on its U.S.-made products, aiming at supporting the people of Ukraine.
Cafe on Queen, founded by Jan Giles and Adrian Sykes, is located in Binalong, a village with only 500 population in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales.
The couple has added one and two Australian dollars to the sale of products made by American companies. They have also pulled other U.S. bottled beverages from their shelves.
The proceeds will go to the Australian Red Cross Ukraine appeal.
"Adrian, who is always thinking, which worries me sometimes, said we need to put a tariff on coke and Jim Beam and coke. And we need to remove the American products," Giles explained the idea.
"We could have used 'surcharge' but we used 'tariffs', and as it turned out they slapped 25 percent on Australian steel and aluminum. So I think it's appropriate," said Sykes.
The tariffs are in response to a fiery exchange took place earlier this month in the American Oval Office between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the ongoing Ukraine crisis.
"I couldn't believe that anybody would treat somebody else like that, let alone a head of state," Giles said.
They have also hung an American flag upside down.
"And I just felt America was in a state of distress and an upside down flag actually symbolizes a state of distress," said Sykes.
Surprisingly, the added charges haven't hurt business. And customers are supportive of the couple's actions.
"I think it is terrific," a customer said.
"We think it's wonderful," echoed another.
"Over the last weekend, we've sold more coke products than we've ever sold," Sykes said.
The cafe's stand has even inspired a local musician named Daniel Kelly, who wrote a song with lyrics writing "So we're slapping some tariffs on the USA until that school yard bully is made to go away."
The owners denied having any connection to Ukraine. Their stand is out of mere support for the people of Ukraine.
"No, there's no Ukrainian attachment there, familial attachment. But we just felt so sad for the Ukrainian people (and) it all comes from the way Zelensky was treated in the Oval Office," Giles said.
The couple says they'll continue the tariffs, and match any funds raised with their own money, until the message coming from this usually quite rural town is heard in the White House.
"This has all gone a little bit mad. I say it's gone feral, but my daughters tell me ' Dad, it's actually gone viral,'" Sykes was excited.
Australian cafe imposes "tariffs" on US products to support Ukraine
Australian cafe impose tariffs on US products to support Ukraine
