The two black men who were arrested at a Starbucks in downtown Philadelphia last week and accused of trespassing say they were there for a business meeting that they had hoped would change their lives.
Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson came forward this morning on ABC News' "Good Morning America" to publicly share their story for the first time.
The 23-year-old entrepreneurs and longtime friends said they were waiting to meet a potential business partner at the Starbucks in Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square neighborhood April 12 when a barista asked them whether they wanted to order anything. They declined and told her they were just there for a quick meeting, they said.
Nelson said he immediately asked to use the restroom when they walked in but was informed it was for paying customers only. So the pair sat at a table and waited for the person with whom they were scheduled to meet.
Then they saw police officers enter the store and speak with the manager, they said.
"I was thinking, 'They can't be here for us,'" Robinson said in the interview with "GMA" co-anchor Robin Roberts. "We have meetings at Starbucks all the time."
They didn't think anything of it until the officers approached their table and told them they needed to leave, they said.
"It was just, 'Get out, you have to leave. You're not buying anything, so you shouldn't be here,'" Nelson told "GMA."
They said they calmly told the officers they were there for a meeting, and Robinson said he even called the person for whom they were waiting. But the officers repeatedly insisted that they leave, they said.
"It's a real estate meeting. We’ve been working on this for months," Robinson said. "We're days away from changing our whole entire situation, our lives, and you about to sit here telling me I can’t do that? You’re not doing that."
The officers ultimately handcuffed Nelson and Robinson, and escorted them out of the Starbucks and into a squad car before taking them to the police station. Both men were later freed and the charges they were facing -- trespassing and disturbance -- were dropped that night.
#1: no gnu taxes To: All (#0)
I can't help but chuckle that this happened to that libtard company Starbucks.
no gnu taxes posted on 2018-04-19 13:10:31 Reply Private Reply
#2: BorisY To: no gnu taxes (#0)
ExcepT for
Special requesTs
To meeT someone
Don'T wanT no meTrosexual cooTies
Love
boris
ps
NoT all yuppies are bad yuppies
Look aT Trump
BorisY posted on 2018-04-19 13:15:49 Reply Private Reply
#3: buckeroo To: BorisY (#2)
That's easy to explain. You are legally restrained within a mental institution wherein you are limited to ever visit the publick other than sneaking upon your nurse's computer from tyme to tyme.
Are you still bound in a straitjacket where your toes poke the keyboard?
buckeroo posted on 2018-04-19 14:13:28 Reply Private Reply
#4: Justified To: no gnu taxes (#0)
They said 2 minuets but that sounds like bs but maybe it’s correct?
Justified posted on 2018-04-19 14:34:46 Reply Private Reply
#5: misterwhite To: no gnu taxes (#0)
So they were never asked to leave by the Starbucks' manager? If they're leaving that out, what else are they leaving out?
misterwhite posted on 2018-04-19 16:18:38 Reply Private Reply
#6: misterwhite To: no gnu taxes (#1)
Black business casual.
misterwhite posted on 2018-04-19 16:21:15 Reply Private Reply
#7: sneakypete To: misterwhite (#5)
From what I understand from watching the teebee report,Starbucks has an official company policy that you don't need to buy anything to sit there.
IF that is true,I hope these guys hammer them until they cry. Yeah,the speak English with a "hood English" accent in the interview I saw,but at least they were trying. Also,from the video of the arrest,they were respectable in their response. Truth to tell,they acted better than I would have in the same circumstances.
sneakypete posted on 2018-04-19 19:25:21 Reply Private Reply
#8: Pinguinite To: no gnu taxes (#0)
It is reasonable policy that restaurants only accommodate paying customers. It makes no difference if they are there to meet anyone or stare at the ceiling and look sad. If you're not going to buy anything then get out and meet in a public park instead. And certainly don't use the restrooms.
Pinguinite posted on 2018-04-20 00:35:59 Reply Private Reply
#9: misterwhite To: Pinguinite (#8)
This is more prevalent in the urban areas, and each store manager does have discretion.
In this particular case, it could be the manager put them in the 'vagrant' category based on their clothes, speech, and attitude. We don't have her side of the story as to what happened after she refused them the facilities. Perhaps they were rude and loud. We don't know if it was crowded at the time and they were taking up customer space. My point is, there were legitimate reasons to ask them to leave.
They refused. And they refused to order, despite having an "important business meeting" planned. They could have met their "business partner" out front.
misterwhite posted on 2018-04-20 09:30:28 Reply Private Reply