Starbucks Slammed For Not Firing Manager Who Called Police On Black Men She Thought Were Loitering
The Philadelphia Starbucks manager who called the police on two Black men she says were loitering has reportedly parted ways with the company on her own recognizance.
After a viral video showed the two Black men being taken out of the Philadelphia location in handcuffs, the public demanded the manager be fired.
While speaking with Good Morning America, Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson said managers of the stores will undergo mandatory training on how to spot "unconscious bias" after witnesses said the men were arrested at a Philadelphia shop for doing nothing but sitting at a table.
"I'll say the circumstances surrounding the incident and the outcome at our store on Thursday were reprehensible," Johnson told GMA. "They were wrong, and for that, I personally apologize to the gentlemen that visited our store."
A Starbucks spokesman told The Inquirer and Daily News of Philadelphia that the manager, who was identified as Holly, left the downtown store at 18th and Spruce Streets in what the company called a “mutual” decision.
Although the manager left the company, some were disappointed to hear she was not terminated
In an interview with Apple News, Holly gave her side of the story and claimed loitering had been an ongoing issue
Holly told Apple News she managed the 18th & Spruce Street location for a year, and in that time, she had several instances of people who loitered without making any purchases. Holly also alleged someone chased her around the store after she asked them to leave.
According to Holly, a corporate policy exclusively enacted at Center City Philadelphia locations prohibits excessive loitering. Holly explained that if that policy is violated, then management has the discretion to act in way they see fit, including calling 911.
Although Holly said the policy gives her the right to call police, she did not say if it is a common occurrence for management to call police when the loitering policy is violated by customers.
Holly's loitering argument was shot down by people who guessed she's probably never called police on white customers who loitered
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