“We have been working on this for months

Men Arrested at Starbucks Hope to Ensure ‘This Situation Doesn’t Happen Again’

Rashon Nelson, left, and Donte Robinson were arrested at canada goose uk outlet a Philadelphia Starbucks on suspicion cheap canada goose uk of trespassing. They said they were not told by the police why they were being escorted out.

Two black men whose arrests at a Starbucks in Philadelphia led to https://www.canadagooseparks.com protests and plans canada goose factory sale for bias training at thousands of the chain’s locations spoke about the ordeal for the Canada Goose Parka first time on Thursday, saying they were not told by the police why they were canadian goose jacket being escorted out.

The men, Donte Robinson and Rashon Nelson, both 23, went to a downtown Starbucks on April 12 for a canada goose business meeting involving real estate that they had been working on for months, they said during an interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

Mr. Nelson asked to Canada Goose Outlet use canada goose coats on sale the restroom and was told by the manager that they were only for Canada Goose Online paying customers. He joined Mr. Robinson at a canada goose store table to wait for the person they planned to meet. The manager approached, asked them if they wanted to order drinks. They declined.

According to canada goose clearance 911 records, approximately two minutes after the men entered the store, the police were called.

Mr. Robinson buy canada goose jacket said they were put in double lock handcuffs, were not read their rights and canada goose clearance sale were not told why they goose outlet were being arrested. They were “escorted out and put canada goose black friday sale into a squad car,” he said. Robinson Canada Goose Coats On Sale added. “We have been working on this for months.”

The men were arrested on suspicion of trespassing. Starbucks did not canada goose coats press charges and they were released.

In a separate interview with The Associated Press, Mr. Nelson said he wondered if he would make it home alive.

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“Anytime Canada Goose online I’m encountered by cops, I can honestly say it’s a thought that runs through my cheap Canada Goose mind,” he said. “You never know what’s going to happen.”

The men said on “Good Morning America” that they hoped the incident would spur a dialogue about race. “I want to make sure that this situation doesn’t happen again,” Mr. Robinson Canada Goose Jackets said. “What I want is for young men to not be traumatized by this, and instead motivated, inspired.”

Mr. Nelson said he hoped the episode would inspire black people “to really stand up and buy canada goose jacket cheap show your greatness, and that you are not judged by the color of your skin as our ancestors were.”

“This is something that has been going on for years and everyone’s blind to it,” he added. “But they know what’s going on, if you get what I mean.”

In a news conference on uk canada goose outlet Thursday, Commissioner Richard Ross Jr. of the Philadelphia Police Department apologized to the two men and said the episode warranted a policy change.

He also suggested that the officers may have been unaware that Starbucks, which has more than 8,000 stores nationwide, Canada Goose sale presents itself as a meeting place where canada goose uk shop people can linger.

“They were put in some ways in an untenable position,” he said. “You can’t expect them uk canada goose to walk into every business and canada goose uk black friday intuitively know what every policy is.”.