McDonalds isn't a faceless corporation. There is some chance it was owned by a franchisor. These people work really hard to put a downpayment on a restaurant. Would you be okay if this was indeed owned by a franchisor who then lost everything they had? This is equivalent to rioters destroying someone's business?
Lets say this was a corporate store. Does that make it okay to unlawfully acquire/squat on their property? Are you okay with the spate of shoplifting going on at drugstores in SF? Would you be okay if all corporate stores disappeared tomorrow (or charged you an extra X dollars to deal with loss like this happening ubiquitously)?
To your last point, look, I am not some successful business dude. But I benefit from living in a civilized country (my parents took on a lot of hardship to get my to Canada). I also know a story that seems simple is often complex. Are there really no other places in this town where a foodbank could be built? Clearly some powerful people with agendas are making statements.
People on HN react as if these people forcibly entered the place and violently took the control from a successful hard working business owner.
I see two options:
Either people simply don't understand the situation and side with "hard working business owners" because that's who they identify with. Or they are so disgusted by charity and solidarity (oooo socialism bad) that they prefer a place to be abandoned and useless than serving a greater purpose
Also, McDonalds is a largely franchise business so this store getting taken over probably hurt a french business or investor.
I wouldn't mind the end but how they got to the end is not ideal as is being praised by some other comments here.
Also, not sure how the govt. has funds to buy a mcdonalds location but not feed the poor which got them to this state in the first place - and maybe that's something which needs fixing instead of blaming everything on businesses and corporations.
> It was not clear but seems the city is involved in this crap?
Feeding the poor, especially in times of crisis like covid. Don't you see the appeal ? really ?
It's funny to see people feeding the poor, for free, during a crisis, and people like you complaining about things like "this is not how trademarks work", it really gives you a good idea of how some people are viewing the world.