Member Call to Action for Starbucks and Police Accountability
Background
On Thursday, April 12th, two black men were arrested at a Starbucks on 18th and Chestnut Streets in Philadelphia when a white manager called the police after she told them that they weren’t able to use the bathroom without purchasing anything. The two men were waiting for a friend.
The police dispatched multiple officers who arrested the men for “trespassing” even though customers were caught on video telling the police that the men did nothing wrong and inquiring about why they were being removed in handcuffs. A viral video of the arrest prompted national outrage, a call to #BoycottStarbucks, twitter testimonials of similar treatment to black and brown patrons around Philadelphia and the nation with similar testimony from white patrons about their unfettered use of Starbucks locations as a meeting spot without purchase required.
Starbucks executive leadership was in Philadelphia to address the community throughout the weekend.
Demands
South Jersey Women for Progressive Change stands behind Black Lives Matter Philadelphia in calling for the following demands:
Call to Action
Sign our petition to Starbucks and the Philadelphia police.
Seek out and patronize local black and minority-owned businesses so that you can redirect your dollars to build marginalized community’s economic strength in our region and support businesses that treat their black, brown and poor patrons with dignity and respect.
Relevant Links
Background
On Thursday, April 12th, two black men were arrested at a Starbucks on 18th and Chestnut Streets in Philadelphia when a white manager called the police after she told them that they weren’t able to use the bathroom without purchasing anything. The two men were waiting for a friend.
The police dispatched multiple officers who arrested the men for “trespassing” even though customers were caught on video telling the police that the men did nothing wrong and inquiring about why they were being removed in handcuffs. A viral video of the arrest prompted national outrage, a call to #BoycottStarbucks, twitter testimonials of similar treatment to black and brown patrons around Philadelphia and the nation with similar testimony from white patrons about their unfettered use of Starbucks locations as a meeting spot without purchase required.
Starbucks executive leadership was in Philadelphia to address the community throughout the weekend.
Demands
South Jersey Women for Progressive Change stands behind Black Lives Matter Philadelphia in calling for the following demands:
- We demand that the employee who called the police be fired.
- We demand an official apology to the two men arrested and the community.
- We demand the firing of the officers who arrested the two men.
- We demand that Starbucks create and publicize a new policy that expressly disallows calling the police on citizens.
Call to Action
Sign our petition to Starbucks and the Philadelphia police.
Seek out and patronize local black and minority-owned businesses so that you can redirect your dollars to build marginalized community’s economic strength in our region and support businesses that treat their black, brown and poor patrons with dignity and respect.
Relevant Links
- Video of arrest as it occurs
- BLM Philly full statement
- Video of community meeting at Starbucks location on April 14th.
- Philly.com story of the arrest