Starbucks Arrest Incident

Two African-American men were arrested at a Starbucks in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 12.

The two men, Donte Robinson and Rashon Nelson, entered the coffee shop and asked to use the bathroom. After being told the bathrooms were for reserved for paying customers, they sat down at a table to wait for another person without ordering anything. The men were then asked to leave. After not complying, the Starbucks manager called the police.

Robinson and Nelson were arrested by police for trespassing. Video of them being handcuffed was shared on social media, sparking national outrage. All charges were later dropped.

Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson called it a “disheartening situation,” and Chairman and founder Howard Schultz called it “reprehensible.” The company also issued an apology on Twitter.

The company held a mandatory racial bias training on May 29. All of its stores were temporarily shut down.

Settlement: Both Robinson and Nelson settled with Starbucks and the city. They received an undisclosed financial settlement, a financial pledge for a program to be set up for young entrepreneurs, and the opportunity to complete their undergraduate degrees at Arizona State University as part of the company’s College Achievement Plan.