A Starbucks is Facing Backlash Because Barista Asked Police Officers to Leave the Store | Eater
"On July 4, six police officers paid for their orders and stood near the store entrance to drink coffee when a white male customer told a barista he felt uncomfortable seeing the group of white officers. After initially saying the officers were regulars, the barista asked them to move out of the customer’s line of sight or leave; the officers complied and later described the request as offensive. The incident prompted an online backlash led by Blue Lives Matter supporters and conservative media, including the #DumpStarbucks campaign and imagery mocking the chain, and the company issued an apology saying the officers should have been welcomed and treated with dignity. The episode reignited broader debates about perceived disrespect toward police versus patterns of racial profiling in public spaces." - Jenny G. Zhang
