Protests After 2 Black Men Arrested At Philadelphia Starbucks

PHILADELPHIA – Protesters descended on the Starbucks store at 18th and Spruce streets in Rittenhouse Square in outrage over the arrest of two black men who said they were waiting for a friend in the store last week.

The two men were arrested at about 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 12, at the Starbucks after a manager called police because the men apparently did not order anything and refused to leave the store.

The arrest scene was caught on video and shared to Twitter. That video, featured above, now has nearly 10 million views.

>>>RELATED: Starbucks Manager Who Called Cops On Black Men Leaves Store

"All the other white ppl are wondering why it’s never happened to us when we do the same thing," Twitter user Melissa DePino wrote in her tweet with the video.

Ultimately, the men were let go without charges after Starbucks decided it did not want to prosecute.

>>>RELATED: Read Starbucks CEO's Response To Philadelphia Arrest Incident

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross said in a video statement the men were asked to leave and were told they were not permitted to use the restroom as they had not purchased anything at the time. Ross said the men refused to leave when employees and police told them.

"These officers had legal standing to make these arrests," Ross said in the video, which is featured below. "It is important for me to say, in short, that these officers did absolutely nothing wrong."

Ross, himself an African American, said he is fully aware of implicit bias but said the department is "committed to fair and unbiased policing."

Ross told 6ABC that "that police officer did not want to have to make an arrest in that incident."

"The whole thing, we just wish it didn't happen," Ross told the outlet.

Mayor Jim Kenney issues a statement on the arrest Saturday, saying it's an example of racism still being alive.

"I am heartbroken to see Philadelphia in the headlines for an incident that – at least based on what we know at this point -- appears to exemplify what racial discrimination looks like in 2018," he said.

Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson is planning to meet with the men in person to apologize.

Starbucks issued an apology to the two men, who have not been named.

"We apologize to the two individuals and our customers and are disappointed this led to an arrest," the company said in a statement. The statement goes on to say the company has "work do to" regarding how to address situations such as Thursday's and that it is reviewing policies and engaging with the community to prevent another incident.

However, Kenney said the apology was not enough.

"I have asked the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations to examine the firm’s policies and procedures, including the extent of, or need for, implicit bias training for its employees," he said. "We are reaching out to Starbucks to begin a discussion about this."

On Monday, April 16, protesters in Philadelphia made it clear the situation was not sitting well with them as they descended on the store.

CBS Philadelphia reports protesters began chanting "Starbucks is anti-black" while in the store.

Before Monday's protest, there were calls to fire the worker who initially called police that day.

Happening NOW: Protesters *inside of Center City @Starbucks store where two black men were arrested after sitting in store without purchasing a drink. Protesters demanding employee who called police be fired. @6abc pic.twitter.com/cEmemwcDwC
— Jeannette Reyes (@6abcJeannette) April 16, 2018

Image via Shutterstock