[Ammi]

...I was thinking how different it must be in the USA to the U.K...with the police force../..the resources available etc...


...’there are two guys in the cafe and they haven’t bought anything...they’re fine though, they’re not doing anything other than sitting there waiting and chatting etc...’

...’jeez, they just asked to USE THE LOO...I said no, you have to go because we can’t be having that with no purchases...disgraceful behaviour...and they just won’t go, they said no, we’re not going’...

...’please come quickly, please come help me...with these two bathroom stalking, non disturbance making, non nuisance, guys...HELP’

..’yes of course, we’ll be there in an instant because lots of police officers on the beat as it were...and there is obviously a need for us there’....

[Ammi]

...we had a spate of burglaries in the area just before Christmas...things stolen from sheds and garages, not houses...and basically those people who had things stolen were told by the police to ‘do their own detection work’...there wasn’t the manpower to involve police...eeeeek...

[Toy Soldier]

I was thinking that the first time I read this story Ammi - any time I've had to call the police at work, it's taken them hours (literally) to show up... and those have been serious incidents as otherwise I wouldn't bother at all.

Officer: "Hello, you called about a disturbance?"

Me: "Err yes there was a guy on the ground outside having the **** kicked out of him by 4 other guys... smashed bottles and bricks were involved."

Officer: "Well it looks quiet out there to me..."

Me: "I called nearly 2 hours ago "


Though they DID show up at lightning speed when there was a guy outside with a SWORD, threatening the local teenagers (who were taunting him and winding him up... bloody mental) . Van with 10 guys in full on riot gear appeared in minutes. It was awesome.

[Ammi]

...wow, the sword incident would have been so scary...but yeah, those are the sort of incidents sadly...it wouldn’t have been for a non-disturbance in the U.K. because of lack of resources...how different to the USA and this incident...

...when sip sip go became cuff cuff go...

[Nicky91]

sip sip go

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by Ammi

...wow, the sword incident would have been so scary...

I'm sort of ashamed to say, I really enjoy the fights / dramatic incidents on weekend nights outside my work .

My all time favourites were two local... "well known character"... brothers who were having a full on WWE style wrestling match in the middle of the road. Like actually slamming each other on the ground! And then a little scuffle I saw between two drunk guys a couple of months ago during the snow. That one was great. They (predictably) INSTANTLY both slipped and fell in the slush, and they were wriggling about on the ground like two fighting worms. It made my night .

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

I was thinking that the first time I read this story Ammi - any time I've had to call the police at work, it's taken them hours (literally) to show up... and those have been serious incidents as otherwise I wouldn't bother at all.

Officer: "Hello, you called about a disturbance?"

Me: "Err yes there was a guy on the ground outside having the **** kicked out of him by 4 other guys... smashed bottles and bricks were involved."

Officer: "Well it looks quiet out there to me..."

Me: "I called nearly 2 hours ago "


Though they DID show up at lightning speed when there was a guy outside with a SWORD, threatening the local teenagers (who were taunting him and winding him up... bloody mental) . Van with 10 guys in full on riot gear appeared in minutes. It was awesome.

Bloody hell

[Alf]

Originally Posted by Ammi

...this is quite a good, balanced article about the arrests, I think...

As a native Philadelphian and frequent Starbucks customer, I was deeply disappointed by the arrest of two black men charged with "trespassing" in a local store. I was not surprised by the subsequent call for a national boycott of America’s favorite coffee shop as the public response. The issue of black men being arrested for unfair and unjust reasons at inequitable rates is a sensitive topic in this country. It is fair to expect that people want answers, solutions, and justice. I do too.

However, I patronized Starbucks this past weekend. Let me tell you why. I remembered the company’s 2015 Race Together campaign, the in-store initiative designed to stimulate conversation, compassion, and most importantly, positive action on race in America. The campaign failed epically. The execution was awkward and uncomfortable for baristas and customers. Regardless, I applaud Starbucks for being the only company to take a public stance on the issue of racism and implement action to help address it.

I have been closely following Starbucks’ response to this crisis. Racism is an issue that isn’t going away and consumer brands will remain vulnerable to scrutiny as it relates to discrimination. There are lessons we can learn from Starbucks’ approach:

Understand how critical a sensitive tone is in messaging
I was disappointed by the company’s first response delivered via Twitter. While it was timely and did convey the obligatory apology and promise of policy review; it fell flat for a community frustrated by racial inequalities. It lacked empathy and avoided the issue of race altogether. The tweet failed to reinforce Starbucks’ mission to help make the world a better place and its desire to nurture the human spirit.

Engage the CEO publicly to demonstrate a sincere commitment to resolving the issue
Starbucks released a strong video statement featuring CEO Kevin Johnson. He expressed regret using phrases such as, "disheartening situation," "reprehensible outcome," and "deepest apologies." He accepted full responsibility for the incident and outlined specific actions the company would take to rebuild trust and revise company policies. Johnson traveled to Philadelphia and offered a personal apology to the two men arrested. He also asked for their assistance in addressing this societal issue moving forward.

Leverage positive proof points
Starbucks has a track record of authentic commitment to diversity and inclusion to reinforce. That record is supported by partnering with basketball legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson in 1998 to open 105 stores in underserved markets; making Mellody Hobson, a nationally respected financial expert, whose personal mantra is to be "color brave," a member of the board of the directors; and hiring Rosalind Brewer, an African-American former CEO of Sam’s Club, as its COO.

Overall, I am impressed with how Starbucks has handled this crisis. It has expressed regrets and accountability, met with key stakeholders, willingly participated in media interviews, and apologized to the unfairly charged men. They also implemented actions for internal change, including plans to close 8,000 stores for a day of racial bias training.

However, their work is not done. They will have to establish long-term strategies internally and externally to rebuild and maintain the trust of African-American consumers. I will continue to monitor their actions and hope they live up to the brand I believe them to be.


Read more at https://www.prweek.com/article/14626...2hkjF35pvfR.99



...I do feel also that Starbucks have ‘handled this crisis impressively’ as the article states...they’ve made all of the right movements, done all of the right things, said all of the right words etc...the more I think about it though, the more I feel..(...imo obviously...)...that prejudiced profiling was shown in asking the men to leave when no disturbance or uneasiness was being caused in them being there...these things have to be consistent as a policy...and from so many comments from ‘Starbucks frequenters’...their experiences have not been the same at all..no asking to leave if restroom requests have been made when a purchase hasn’t been made...or if they’ve been waiting without making purchases...so nothing about this incident from the off would appear consistent with company policy and staff procedures within that...I would have thought ‘trespassing’ goes beyond individual company policy anyway...as it’s a legal law break...and in a public coffee shop or premises, would there not have to be trespassing signs up, stating when/reasons a trespassing would be seen to be happening...so everyone is aware if a law is being broken and that arrests and charges could be a possibility...laws have to be clear also, surely...anyways, Starbucks appear to be addressing it all, which is a good thing....

There is no balanced argument, these two were trespassing on private property. And they can stick their race baiting victimhood culture up their arse.

[Alf]

Do you suffer from White guilt?

Youtube video

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Bloody hell

Yeah... The kids that hang around the town center are totally fearless, it's crazy. I once saw a group of them being threatened / attacked by a member of the local "well known rough family" (the sort with a reputation)... And pretty much instantly, 4 of them who couldn't have been more than 14/15 years old were off their bikes and had him pinned to a wall by his neck .

What really worries me is that these generally seem like totally normal / polite / middle class kids, not "rough" ones, they more or less mind their own business and don't cause trouble. But when things kick off in town they don't look concerned or back off... If anything they seem to love it / thrive on it. Which I guess is a worrying indication of how used to it they are.

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by Alf

Do you have White guilt?

Youtube video

To be fair it does highlight an issue. I don't think it's "guilt", though, more that Starbucks handled this abysmally by firing the staff member involved so now, if you work in Starbucks, you know fine well that if you're accused of anything they're happy to throw you under the bus to protect the company's image, no matter what actually happened.

Though you also have to throw in the fact that staff in places like this really aren't given any incentive to protect the company's profit line and so giving away a coffee for an easy life rather than bothering to argue about it is pretty standard. I mean, just last week I gave some poor old fella a £5 free bet on the grand national for his "coupon from the paper"... Which I'm pretty sure was for B&Q or Homebase or something. Because I just don't care enough to spend 15 minutes trying to argue about it.

[Maru]

Starbucks' 'unconscious bias training' isn’t enough, protesters say
https://www.yahoo.com/amphtml/gma/pr...opstories.html

Members of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity rallied at a Starbucks in Philadelphia on Sunday after their fraternity brother, Rashon Nelson, was arrested there earlier this month in an incident the city’s mayor called an example of racial profiling.

More than 100 fraternity members and supporters attended the “Rally Against Racial Injustice” on Sunday afternoon, held near the downtown Philadelphia Starbucks where Nelson and his friend, Donte Robinson, were arrested on April 12 after the store’s manager asked them to leave because they hadn’t purchased anything.

Starbucks apologized to the men in a statement last week, saying it was learning more about what it “did wrong” and was willing to take the necessary steps “to fix it,” according to a statement.

The company said it would close all of its U.S. stores and corporate offices on May 29 to train employees against racial bias in the wake of the incident, but city officials at Sunday’s rally said that’s not enough.



“The actions of the Starbucks corporation are totally unacceptable,” Philadelphia Councilman Kenyatta Johnson told protesters Sunday. “We know they said they’re going to move forward and specifically focus on a training that deals with unconscious bias, but that’s a one-day training.

“We want to see how they’re going to change their culture as it relates to racial insensitivity and also diversity and inclusion as it relates to making sure that everyone who comes to a Starbucks store that lives in the city of Philadelphia should feel welcome,” he added.

He said the the men, who were waiting for a third person to arrive for a business meeting, were “in the right place focusing on doing the right things with their lives,” but they were still seen as a threat.

They should not have been subjected to "racial profiling," Johnson said. He thanked the Omega Psi Phi fraternity “for stepping up to the plate and making sure the world sees that African-American men are not are not a threat to society.”

Grand Basileus Antonio Knox, Omega Psi Phi’s national leader, applauded the company for its apology, but he said it's time for Starbucks, and other major companies, to realize discrimination is wrong.

“Now is the time. It’s no longer acceptable to allow and to be comfortable to discriminate against our young men and women,” Knox said. “The strength of this country depends on us being able to work together as one.”

Knox, who said the goal of the event was to mobilize supporters, urged minorities and disadvantaged people to use their voting and economic power to affect change.

“It must be known that we will not invest in companies that will not treat us as they treat everybody else,” Knox said. “Starbucks has an opportunity, and so far it appears that they are going to do the right thing, but it won’t stop with one-day training. They know that.

“But what we’re asking is that Starbucks joins us and allow us to work together to create this change all over because it’s not just that one corporation.”

Nelson and Robinson, both 23, told ABC News' "Good Morning America" last week that the white manager of the Starbucks called the police on them two minutes after they arrived at the store and Nelson was denied the access code for the restroom because he hadn't made a purchase. The men said that when police arrived they were told they had to leave the store. When they refused to leave, they were arrested.

Starbucks apologized for the ordeal and agreed to engage in mediation with Nelson and Robinson, according to their lawyer, Stewart Cohen.

"Starbucks holds itself open as a place for people to meet and to have public conversations; those are words from their website," Cohen told ABC News. "The apologies are fine, but what we need to do is have some action by Starbucks with respect to this situation. There has to be real and meaningful discussions."

ABC News' Bill Hutchinson contributed to this report.

[Maru]

Kind of ironic, the $1 settlement... can't even afford you—well anything—at Starbucks probably... maybe a cup of water?...

The free tuition is nice... and the entrepreneurial program, actually something I think is key path for young Americans to consider to transform their lives.... so I think that is a positive step for others coming from struggling communities. They don't really teach how to manage money in schools anymore, much less, how to manage other people's money and run a business on your own..

Black men arrested at Philadelphia Starbucks reach agreements

(CNN)Two African-American men whose arrest at a Philadelphia Starbucks sparked protests over racial bias have reached agreements with the coffee store chain and the city, and have pledged to support a $200,000 effort to encourage young entrepreneurs.

The details of the financial agreement that Donte Robinson and Rashon Nelson reached this week with Starbucks are confidential, the company said. The parties agreed to work to "develop specific actions and opportunities."

The two men will give input to former US Attorney Eric Holder, who is working with Starbucks on its diversity efforts.

Robinson and Nelson also reached an agreement with the city for $1 each, said city spokesman Mike Dunn.

The men will work with the city and a nonprofit organization to develop criteria, review applications and award the $200,000 grant, Dunn said. The grant will establish "a pilot curriculum for public high school students to develop the skills necessary to pursue their dream of being entrepreneurs," according to Dunn.

The men had initially asked to use the bathroom at the Starbucks on April 12 as they waited for a business meeting, but were told it was for paying customers only. They then occupied a table without making a purchase, which many observers have noted is a common occurrence at the franchise's locations.

Within minutes of them arriving, a manager called police after the men declined to leave the premises because, they said, they were waiting for their acquaintance.

An attorney representing the men at the time said the person they were scheduled to meet with to discuss a real estate project arrived about the time the police did, CNN affiliate KYW reported.

The video of the arrests went viral.

The men were not charged with a crime.

Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson apologized for the arrests, calling them "reprehensible."

Starbucks, as part of the agreement, is also giving the men the opportunity to complete their undergraduate degrees for free through a partnership with Arizona State University.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross, who is black, apologized to the men, saying he made the decision worse by initially defending his officers' actions.

In a statement Wednesday, Johnson thanked the men for "their willingness to reconcile."

The protests reignited a national conversation over racial profiling. The mammoth coffee chain agreed to close its 8,000 company-owned stores in the United States to educate employees about racial bias on May 29.

"I welcome the opportunity to begin a relationship with them to share learnings and experiences. And Starbucks will continue to take actions that stem from this incident to repair and reaffirm our values and vision for the kind of company we want to be," Johnson said.

Mayor Jim Kenney said he was pleased to resolve the potential claims against the city.

"This was an incident that evoked a lot of pain in our City, pain that would've resurfaced over and over again in protracted litigation, which presents significant legal risks and high financial and emotional costs for everyone involved," Kenney said in a statement.

[Brillopad]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

To be fair it does highlight an issue. I don't think it's "guilt", though, more that Starbucks handled this abysmally by firing the staff member involved so now, if you work in Starbucks, you know fine well that if you're accused of anything they're happy to throw you under the bus to protect the company's image, no matter what actually happened.

Though you also have to throw in the fact that staff in places like this really aren't given any incentive to protect the company's profit line and so giving away a coffee for an easy life rather than bothering to argue about it is pretty standard. I mean, just last week I gave some poor old fella a £5 free bet on the grand national for his "coupon from the paper"... Which I'm pretty sure was for B&Q or Homebase or something. Because I just don't care enough to spend 15 minutes trying to argue about it.

Watch this space for liberties being taken - every saddo looking for a freebie will be taking advantage ! Ridiculous.

[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

To be fair it does highlight an issue. I don't think it's "guilt", though, more that Starbucks handled this abysmally by firing the staff member involved so now, if you work in Starbucks, you know fine well that if you're accused of anything they're happy to throw you under the bus to protect the company's image, no matter what actually happened.

Though you also have to throw in the fact that staff in places like this really aren't given any incentive to protect the company's profit line and so giving away a coffee for an easy life rather than bothering to argue about it is pretty standard. I mean, just last week I gave some poor old fella a £5 free bet on the grand national for his "coupon from the paper"... Which I'm pretty sure was for B&Q or Homebase or something. Because I just don't care enough to spend 15 minutes trying to argue about it.

WHAT address is your shop T.S. - I fancy a huge stake Canadian and have got quite a few old B & Q 'Promo' vouchers.

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by kirklancaster

WHAT address is your shop T.S. - I fancy a huge stake Canadian and have got quite a few old B & Q 'Promo' vouchers.

It was Grand National, anything goes on Grand National... it's a circus

[Crimson Dynamo]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

It was Grand National, anything goes on Grand National... it's a circus

well it was appreciated, these free promotions are very confusing and my eyes are not what they were

That said when I went to get my winnings the lady at B&Q was very unhelpful so I wont be going there anytime soon