Arrested for being black in Starbucks

[Occasionally]

Correct but it stemmed from not making a purchase. And I think most people would either be dumbfounded or even a bit belligerent in the same situation, let alone two black guys who might immediately think the actions were unjustified. The problem is that many of us have no idea what it's like to be discriminated against repeatedly because of color. I imagine when these situations arise, the first thing the victim thinks is they are being accosted because of their color.

I remember once sitting in a fairly busy restaurant where I'd reserved a table for 12. Only 3 people showed up on time and it took 30-45 min for the remainder to show. I just drank water and waited to order. Wasn't given the 3rd degree about waiting for others. Obviously not the same situation but most people aren't anal about it.

Of course the police chief is going to back up police procedure. A cop high on drugs could plug a guy in the back of the head and somehow the police chief will still tell the world he's a good guy and the police force supports his actions.

On a technical level, perhaps the store had reason to kick them out, and the cops had reason to arrest them.

But the common sense thing to do would be the store manager not creating a fuss. And when the cops were called, the second common sense thing to do is escort them out of the building. According the articles, they didn't want to budge, but the police could surely get them out there with some more negotiation or gently physically making them leave without actually arresting them.

Even worse, the black guys' buddy showed up. So now they will meet, eat and chat like they planned. They weren't lying. So problem solved right?

Nope. They still arrested the guys.

Dumb-dumb thinking by both store manager and cops.

"Hey you! What are you doing? You stealing that bike?"

"No. I'm waiting for my friend. Its his and I'm returning it."

"BS. I think you're stealing it. Give it up."

"Its my friend's"

"We're going to arrest you for theft. Turn around."

(Friend shows up)..... "What's going on?"

"They think I'm stealing your bike"

"Hey officers. He's my buddy. That's my bike. No issue guys".

"Sorry losers. We're still arresting him for theft".

 

[likwid]

People who just sit at the place without buying a $2-3 coffee are just dicks. But the manager who escalated it was an idiot. He should have just let them sit there if they werent causing a ruckus.

 

[blueray]

And when the cops were called, the second common sense thing to do is escort them out of the building. According the articles, they didn't want to budge, but the police could surely get them out there with some more negotiation or gently physically making them leave without actually arresting them.

"Gently physically making them leave" .... what world are you living in?

 

[lomotil]

To every action, there is a reaction. If a similar incident happens again at another establishment, other business will follow Starbuck's lead , empathize and apologies . On the other hand, other business may do the opposite, never apologize and be even more draconian. American is so polarized as is evidenced by Obama and Trump's occupy the Oval Office. This kind of shit happens all the time, social media recordings going viral just takes it to a new level.

 

[Occasionally]

To every action, there is a reaction. If a similar incident happens again at another establishment, other business will follow Starbuck's lead , empathize and apologies . On the other hand, other business may do the opposite, never apologize and be even more draconian. American is so polarized as is evidenced by Obama and Trump's occupy the Oval Office. This kind of shit happens all the time, social media recordings going viral just takes it to a new level.

America is often the extreme.

Just look at the recent Toronto van incident. Guy goes nuts mowing people down and finally gets confronted by a cop... a SINGLE cop.

The assailant faces him one one one, and was holding a gun (the video was blurry, so not totally sure if it was a gun he held), and the cop eventually got him to drop it after some yelling back and forth. He complied and got arrested.

If this was the US, chances are pretty good the American cop would have already blasted him dead in the head in the first 10 seconds.

 

[blueray]

It was a cell phone he was holding, not a gun. If he would have shot him, half the world would be up in arms for shooting an unarmed man....the other half would have said well done.

 

[sempel]

America is often the extreme.

Just look at the recent Toronto van incident. Guy goes nuts mowing people down and finally gets confronted by a cop... a SINGLE cop.

The assailant faces him one one one, and was holding a gun (the video was blurry, so not totally sure if it was a gun he held), and the cop eventually got him to drop it after some yelling back and forth. He complied and got arrested.

If this was the US, chances are pretty good the American cop would have already blasted him dead in the head in the first 10 seconds.

While you can argue the cop "kept his cool" and did the right thing, I think many cops go with the solution that causes themselves the least harm. So if someone is holding something that may be a weapon, the general course of action is to shoot them. This could easily have gone south with the cop trying to disarm only to end up hurt or dead because a suspect had a weapon and used it.

Where I would have seen a problem is the shooting of an unarmed person or someone CLEARLY not holding a weapon. We don't know if the cop could tell the guy wasn't holding a gun.

Funny was the mention that this situation was "less dangerous" than other shootings like Sammy Yatim (think it was Chief Saunders who said this). Unbelievable! I fail to understand how someone isolated on a bus is MORE dangerous than someone who might have a weapon that has you in their line of sight.

It was a cell phone he was holding, not a gun. If he would have shot him, half the world would be up in arms for shooting an unarmed man....the other half would have said well done.

agreed

But getting back to the topic, I can think of a few instances which I'm sure others have experienced. You are a group at a restaurant and some people join you but don't order anything (ate before, arrive late). I was at a place recently and a few guys didn't order anything. Place was pretty packed. Nobody said anything.

I also find it wrong when people say just buy something. Really? I have been asked to meet in a couple of places, including Starbucks, and honestly I don't want to buy anything. Besides the overpriced offerings, I don't like coffee or tea. So I have to buy one just because someone suggested a coffee place? The same thing could go for any food item. And for those that think I have a choice of venue, when you are a group of 5 and 4 want Starbucks, you just go with it.

 

[frankcastle]

If this were an isolated event then i could see why people are questioning if race was an issue.

I have been asked once if i wanted something and then allowed to wait 30 to 45 minutes till others arrive. We might wait even longer if others are running late. They dont keep coming back to harass me

Point is that is a common occurrance.

We also know it is common for people to loiter at starbucks.

What is uncommon is for managers to circulate and ask people to buy stuff let alone do it three times.

Doesnt matter if they were asked 3 times to leave politely.

How they were asked is not the issue. Why they were asked and the fact that is not a normal process is why it is in question.

And there is proof that they were legitamately waitong for someone. That guy showed uo on camera as they were cuffed.

The cops didnt have to cuff them. If they claimed they were meeting somebody i would say show me the texts or call the guy. Heck as a cop i eould have grabbed a coffee and waited. Once the person shows up i would leave. No paper work and everyone is happy.

Maybe it wasnt racist but due to how things played out it seems very out of the ordinary.

I think for those dont face racism it is hard to imagine.

I was wstching joe rogans podcast.... kevin lee an mma fighter who is black and lived in 7 mile detroit said that walking to his school at 10 mile a good neighbourhood cops would pick up him and his brother and drive them back to 7 mile refusing to beleive they attend school in the good hood. Why would the cop drive them to the school and ask the principal? This sort of stuff happens routinely.

 

[Occasionally]

"Freeze. Why are you sneaking into that window?"

"Sorry officers. Locked myself out. Forgot my keys inside. Going through the window"

"BS. Turn around. We're arresting you for trespassing and break and enter"

"It's my place"

(Guy drives up to the house)......

"Hey, what's going on? Mike, got your message, here's a spare key"

"They are arresting me thinking I'm breaking into the house"

"Officers, it's our house. He's my brother. Dropping off keys for him. No issue here"

"Get lost bro. We're arresting him for trespassing and break and enter"

 

[blueray]

I also find it wrong when people say just buy something. Really? I have been asked to meet in a couple of places, including Starbucks, and honestly I don't want to buy anything. Besides the overpriced offerings, I don't like coffee or tea. So I have to buy one just because someone suggested a coffee place? The same thing could go for any food item. And for those that think I have a choice of venue, when you are a group of 5 and 4 want Starbucks, you just go with it.

Overpriced offerings...are you serious? You will spend $300 to poke a hole in a young hottie for an hour but not $2 on a coffee so you can hang out in a place of business for two hours? Meet in a park, or on a corner....don't go to a place of business unless you plan on buying something. You think the world is your personal fucking hangout? I suggest you meet in your parent's basement Sempel.

 

[sempel]

Overpriced offerings...are you serious? You will spend $300 to poke a hole in a young hottie for an hour but not $2 on a coffee so you can hang out in a place of business for two hours? Meet in a park, or on a corner....don't go to a place of business unless you plan on buying something. You think the world is your personal fucking hangout? I suggest you meet in your parent's basement Sempel.

It helps if you read something and attempt to understand it before lashing out with useless suggestions and criticisms.

Do you understand the concept of value? If I spend $300 on something I think is worth $300, that's good value to me. Spending $5 on a something I don't like, especially when other places sell it for less is terrible. But as I said, I don't like coffee so even if it's free, I don't want it. So I am not going to buy coffee at Starbucks because 4 other people decided they wanted to meet there and I'm going along with it.

So you've never gone to Indigo and read something and not made a purchase? It's a business but it allows people to come in and read and guess what, some of those avid readers buy something, some don't. Nobody gives a crap.

Bottom line, Starbucks has never had any major issue with people hanging about and buying little or nothing at all - this is proven by the numerous people who go there and hang about. In general, nobody cares because Starbucks would rather have a reputation for being open and inclusive instead of getting a bad rep by kicking out people. So when two guys who are black get kicked out and subsequently arrested, it's going to look fishy as fuck.

 

[Occasionally]

It helps if you read something and attempt to understand it before lashing out with useless suggestions and criticisms.

Do you understand the concept of value? If I spend $300 on something I think is worth $300, that's good value to me. Spending $5 on a something I don't like, especially when other places sell it for less is terrible. But as I said, I don't like coffee so even if it's free, I don't want it. So I am not going to buy coffee at Starbucks because 4 other people decided they wanted to meet there and I'm going along with it.

So you've never gone to Indigo and read something and not made a purchase? It's a business but it allows people to come in and read and guess what, some of those avid readers buy something, some don't. Nobody gives a crap.

Bottom line, Starbucks has never had any major issue with people hanging about and buying little or nothing at all - this is proven by the numerous people who go there and hang about. In general, nobody cares because Starbucks would rather have a reputation for being open and inclusive instead of getting a bad rep by kicking out people. So when two guys who are black get kicked out and subsequently arrested, it's going to look fishy as fuck.

Totally true.

Value is all relative, and most things can't be compared apples to apples anyway.

I hardly ever drink coffee. And when I do it's mostly the free shit we have in the cafeteria. So to me, buying the cheapest coffee out there (maybe it's McDonald's $1 coffees) is a waste of money.

As for the case, who says they didn't want to buy anything? Maybe they would have when they met their buddy.

 

[sempel]

Totally true.

Value is all relative, and most things can't be compared apples to apples anyway.

I hardly ever drink coffee. And when I do it's mostly the free shit we have in the cafeteria. So to me, buying the cheapest coffee out there (maybe it's McDonald's $1 coffees) is a waste of money.

As for the case, who says they didn't want to buy anything? Maybe they would have when they met their buddy.

Definitely a waste. I don't think anyone should ever be forced to purchase something in this type of situation if they don't want it.

Unknown if they would ever make a purchase - maybe they would have when their friend arrived, maybe not. IMO, irrelevant. There's a huge difference between Starbucks and say an SC or a bar when there's a band playing where you have to buy a drink. I'm also pretty sure in those two cases, if you don't, you have to leave regardless of your skin color.

 

[Nesbot]

Ignoring the fact that this place more closely represents an alt right forum than an escort review board, I'd have to say I'm pleasantly surprised at the minimal amount of "waaaaahhh I'm a white guy and that happens to me all the time" posts.

 

[Occasionally]

Ignoring the fact that this place more closely represents an alt right forum than an escort review board, I'd have to say I'm pleasantly surprised at the minimal amount of "waaaaahhh I'm a white guy and that happens to me all the time" posts.

The vast majority of people who have an opinion on this event (not just on this forum), think the store manager and cops went overboard. What more do you want?

Unfortunately for you, your expectation that the general public would side with the cops backfired.

 

[blueray]

The vast majority of people who have an opinion on this event (not just on this forum), think the store manager and cops went overboard.

I am still laughing at your "The cops should have gently physically made them leave".

 

[newtohobby54]

they must have been doing something wrong otherwise cops don’t bother you but I have beeen forced to rethink this because of the news about shooting unarmed black men I don’t think it’s because they’re black it had to have been something else they did

 

[JordanR]

I don't believe this story. There must be another reason behind it. And if by any chance, there's not any solid reason behind it, it's definitely a shameful act.

 

[Occasionally]

I am still laughing at your "The cops should have gently physically made them leave".

Not every police situation involves guns, batons and hog tying.

 

[blueray]

Not every police situation involves guns, batons and hog tying.

There were no guns, batons or hog tying at Starbucks, so I really don't know what you're referencing. Just two men, who wouldn't leave semi-private property after being asked politely to leave, three times. They knew the consequences of refusing to leave the premises, and accepted them. They were handcuffed, arrested and taken out of the building without incident. They were trying to make a statement, which they did. The police did their job. If you and your friends want to shit on the Manager, go ahead. But stop the police bashing will ya...its like the kids in school now, saying their bisexual, not because they are, but because its the new cool thing to say and be. It's cool to bash the police, everyone does it. They have a very tough job to do....of course it's easy in your mind....just "gently physically remove them"....lmao.