Starbucks Closes 8000 Cafés Due to Discrimination

The American coffee chain Starbucks has decided to close all its cafés in the United States on May 29 in the afternoon for a training course for employees against racism after the arrest of two African Americans in one of their locations sparked a wave of outrage.

The corporation aims to preserve its reputation, which has been significantly overshadowed by the incident that occurred in Philadelphia on Thursday. The event was recorded by a customer, and the footage spread on Twitter over the weekend. The video shows the arrest of two African Americans even though they were calm and had committed no offense.

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The video footage has provoked significant criticism and the creation of the hashtag #boycottstarbucks. The police were called to the scene because the two men had not ordered anything. They were simply waiting for a friend, their lawyer said.

– Starbucks will close more than 8000 cafés in the United States on May 29 in the afternoon and organize a course (…) to prevent discrimination in our locations, the company announced on Tuesday.

The course will be organized for 175,000 workers across the country, including administrative and commercial services. In the future, it will be part of the regular training for new employees.

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The goal is to break down racist prejudices, promote inclusivity, prevent discrimination, and ensure that all people in Starbucks cafés feel safe and welcome, the company emphasizes.