#BoycottStarbucks
Two Black men arrested at Philadelphia Starbucks for sitting without ordering sparked national outcry.
Origin & Impact
On April 12, 2018, two Black men waiting for a business associate were arrested at a Philadelphia Starbucks after a manager called police because they hadn’t purchased anything. Viral video of their arrest sparked immediate outrage. The hashtag trended as the incident exemplified everyday racism and “waiting while Black.” Protesters occupied the store, and the men reached confidential settlement with Starbucks.
CEO Kevin Johnson apologized, and Starbucks closed 8,000 stores on May 29 for racial bias training—a historic corporate response. Critics questioned whether 4-hour training could undo systemic bias, while others praised Starbucks’ accountability. The hashtag captured America’s reckoning with implicit bias in public spaces and the power of viral video to force corporate action. It joined the canon of incidents highlighting how everyday activities carry racial risk.
Related Hashtags
#RacialBias #RacialJustice #WaitingWhileBlack