Source: Alex Wong / Alex Wong
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Initially, two black men went to a Starbucks Coffee Shop in Philadelphia to talk about real estate opportunities. However, the two men ended up getting arrested and launched a week of outraged protest, accusations of racial discrimination and vows from Starbucks to do better. These men are finally speaking out for the first time.
Donte Robinson and Rashon Nelson were the two 23-year-olds at the center of the incident that occurred. On Thursday, the Philadelphia police commissioner took the least partial responsibility for what happened at Starbucks.
Richard Ross noted at a news conference, “I fully acknowledge that I played a significant role in making {the incident} worse”. Last weekend, Ross stated in a video, “these officers did absolutely nothing wrong” and that the two black men were trespassing. But on Thursday, he said,”I should have said the officers acted within the scope of the law, and not that they didn’t do anything wrong”.
Nelson said he asked to use the restroom and an employee informed him it was for paying customers only. Nelson said he left it at that but the manager didn’t. A police report states the men cursed at the manager after she told them the bathrooms were for customers only.
The manager then called 911 to report the men for not making a purchase and that they refused to leave. When the police came in about two minutes after the call, the police made arrest after claiming the men refused to leave.
This is sad… no more Starbucks! Haha. Just kidding… maybe not though. What do you think about this situation?
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Blog by: Veda Loca and Jamaica Adams
