Starbucks: Manager Who Called 911 No Longer Works at Rittenhouse Location
Protesters occupied the chain’s location at 18th and Spruce for the second day on Monday before it closed at midday.
AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma.
The manager who called the police on two black men subsequently arrested for trespassing is “no longer an employee” of the coffee chain’s outpost on 18th and Spruce streets, a Starbucks spokesman confirmed to 6ABC. It is currently unclear, however, whether the manager has been fired or transferred.
For the second straight day, protesters with the Black and Brown Workers Cooperative and Philly for Real Justice joined in demanding the removal of the unidentified manager at Starbucks’ Rittenhouse Square location. Their presence on Monday afternoon was so overwhelming that the store ended up closing for business for the day.
UPDATE: @Starbucks store on 18th & Spruce is NOW CLOSED after a powerful direct action done this morning by @BBworkers & @PHLRealJustice! Check out their work on gentrification and racial justice. #StarbucksWhileBlack
— Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) April 16, 2018
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 (@msnewslady) April 16, 2018
Protestor speaking to @Starbucks manager: “We are going to make sure we shut you down” @6abc pic.twitter.com/b6wlPononu
— Jeannette Reyes (@msnewslady) April 16, 2018
protest at Starbucks continues https://t.co/DVS31Poihk
— Absurdistwords (@absurdistwords) April 15, 2018
Now: Protest inside Rittenhouse Starbucks. “We’re not leaving” @NBCPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/rb95Tid6Qy
— Matt DeLucia (@MattDeLucia) April 16, 2018
Starbucks Coffees Policy and Procedures are Not Acceptable to Black People. Protesting at 1801 Spruce Street Philadelphia yesterday. Unifying with my sister Artist @ursularucker @mchburton #starbucks #protest #boycot #philadelphia pic.twitter.com/xojA15qDjZ
— Michelle Brown (@mchburton) April 16, 2018
https://twitter.com/missydepino/status/985553927637696512
https://twitter.com/adamteterus/status/985567001409146881
Clergy leaders representing more than 50 interfaith congregations will host another demonstration on Monday afternoon, even with Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson in town on his tour to make amends. (He’s got a meeting with Mayor Kenney and will also reportedly offer a face-to-face apology to the two men.)
Beginning at 3:30 p.m., protesters will gather at The Philadelphia Ethical Society and then march to the Starbucks on Spruce. The occupation of the store lasted for approximately five hours on Monday before management agreed to close.
