It looks like folks have had enough of police mistreatment and have begun to take action in varying spaces. Namely, a Starbucks near the campus of the University of California, Riverdale. Two officers in uniform visited the location last week and stood at the counter for about five minutes before they were served, as said in statements from Starbucks and social media posts by Sheriff Chad Bianco.
MORE: Oklahoma Cop Accused Of Lying When He Said ‘Pig’ Was Printed On Starbucks Cups
The Starbucks employees’ reluctance was met with an apology from upper management as well as an internal investigation, according to the Los Angeles Times. “There is simply no excuse for how two Riverside deputies were ignored for nearly 5 minutes at our store on Thursday evening,” a Starbucks spokesman said in a statement. “We take full responsibility for any intentional or unintentional disrespect shown to law enforcement on whom we depend every day to keep our stores and communities safe.”
The Associated Press reports that this incident marks the third time that law enforcement officers were disrespected at a Starbucks location. Back in July, six officers visiting a location in Tempe, Arizona said that a barista asked them to move away from a customer, who complained about their presence in the establishment. The customer said that the officers were making him nervous. Starbucks apologized to those officers as well.
There was also the incident where a police chief in Oklahoma complained that a Starbucks employee printed out labels with the word “PIG” on them and gave the cups to several officers. The police chief was later accused of lying. But again, Starbucks apologized. That employee was also terminated.
Sheriff Blanco referenced the prior incidents on social media asking for them to end. “The anti police culture repeatedly displayed by Starbucks employees must end,” he wrote.
But, what about ending the mistreatment and killing of innocent people?
According to Statista.com, the trend of fatal police shootings has increased. In 2017, 223 black people were killed at the hands of the police. Hence, the creation of the Black Lives Matter movement, which was formed in 2013 as a response to the killings of black men, women and children by police.
Founded by three black women, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, Opal Tometi, the movement was birthed to create awareness, enforce accountability and bring about change. “We gave tongue to something that we all knew was happening. We were courageous enough to call it what it was. But more than that, to offer an alternative. An aspirational message: Black lives matter,” Tometi said in an interview with Glamour.
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