A Starbucks in Philadelphia, PA has recently become famous after an event that occured on April 12th, 2018. Two black men entered the store, and sat down to wait for their friend without ordering. The manager working at the time in the Starbucks asked the men to leave, and when they explained to her that they were waiting for someone, she called the police. It was only minutes between their arrival and the police being called, and then they were arrested. (Source: Buzzfeed News: Two Black Men Were Arrested In Starbucks. Witnesses Say They “Didn’t Do Anything.”)
The 911 call, made by the white female manager, said she had men in the store who refused to purchase anything or leave, though she did not say how long they had been there or why they were there. The dispatcher then told police that there was a group of men, not just two, who were causing a disturbance. The police found out from employees that the men cursed at them after finding out that the bathroom was only for paying customers, and insulted the cops when they arrived. The police called for multiple backup units for only two men. (Source: New York Times: Starbucks to Close 8,000 U.S. Stores for Racial-Bias Training After Arrests)
Five police officers came to the scene. Customers in the Starbucks tried to defend the men, but couldn’t stop the arrest. Police claimed the men were being arrested for “defiant trespassing”. The District Attorney did not approve the charges, and they were released at 2 A.M. the next day.
The following day, Richard Ross, a colored Police Commissioner, defended the actions of his two officers. He claimed they did nothing wrong, because it is against Starbucks policy for non-paying customers to use the restroom, as the men did, and they refused to leave after being told to three times.
Shortly after the arrest, #BoycottStarbucks was trending online, although Starbucks had released an apology for the event. Mayor Jim Kenney said the apology was not enough, and that the officers, and Starbucks policies needed to be further investigated. CEO of Starbucks, Kevin Johnson, claimed he would travel to Philly in the hopes to speak to the two men, and his employees who are to blame(Source: Buzzfeed News: Two Black Men Were Arrested In Starbucks. Witnesses Say They “Didn’t Do Anything.”)
After Johnson visited Philadelphia, he released a more sincere apology, and said he would take the blame for it. Reportedly, the manager who called the cops has left the store, but she has not been fired. Johnson claimed that he would look into making his employees undergo unconscious bias training.
Then protests began. Starting at 6 A.M. the week after the arrests, marchers swarmed Starbucks in the center city, and held sit-ins. Chants recorded included: “Starbucks you can’t hide, we can see your dirty side”, and “A whole lot of racism, a whole lot of crap, Starbucks coffee is anti-black.” (Source: Buzzfeed News: Head Of Starbucks Calls The Arrest Of 2 Black Men “Reprehensible” And Says He Will Take The Blame)
It was then that Johnson officially decided to carry through training of his employees. 8,000 stores total will be closed down by the end of May to undergo bias training for up to 175,000 employees. This includes all of the US stores, but no stores in other countries. The curriculum was developed with partners, like the NAACP. (Source: Buzzfeed News: Starbucks Will Close All Its US Stores For Anti–Racial Bias Training)
The men then were brought to court in order to find out what exactly happened, and how to fix it. The city settled with the two men for $1 for the each of them, and $200,000 of a donation. The donation was a grant to be spent for public high schools in the city to teach students financial literacy and entrepreneurship. People are calling it a symbolic sensation that the men only kept $1 for themselves, and gave the rest to education.
Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson are their names. The men went onto Good Morning America where they explained that they didn’t sue the city or police department, but they agreed to drop all claims in exchange for the grant and their $2. (Source: Buzzfeed News: The Two Black Men Arrested At Starbucks Say They Will Use A Settlement Grant To Teach Entrepreneurship)
Are you satisfied with the outcome? Do you feel everyone was justified? I think hearing about this made me happy that the citizens came together in protest and sit-ins when innocent people were treated wrongfully. I think that the training of Starbucks employees, along with the entrepreneurship program for high schoolers are great things to consider, but this may be one of the only times in America that we were able to see a good outcome for a racial injustice.