Starbucks Corp. CEO Kevin Johnson is in damage control mode. Back in April, two black men were arrested for trespassing while waiting for a friend in a Philadelphia Starbucks. One of the men requested access to the restroom but was told it was for paying customers only. The men were then approached by a manager and asked if they wanted to order. After they declined, the manager called the cops. The men were arrested and jailed for several hours before they were released. No charges were filed.

The incident sparked protests across the city where some protesters marched from Starbucks to Starbucks. Others staged sit-ins in various Starbucks locations, sometimes sitting for hours on end and refusing to order. Demonstrators at the Philadelphia store were heard chanting “a whole lot of racism, a whole lot of crap, Starbucks coffee is anti-black.” News of the incident was heard around the world.

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