The two black men arrested in a Philadelphia Starbucks have agreed a compensation agreement
Donte Robinson and Rashon Nelson will be awarded $1 compensation by the city of Philadelphia, which will also put $200,000 towards an entrepreneurship program on their behalf. Image: REUTERS/Mark Makela
Two black men arrested while waiting at a Philadelphia Starbucks store reached a confidential financial settlement with the coffee chain and dropped legal claims against the city.
The city agreed to pay each man $1 and committed $200,000 to fund an entrepreneurship program for public school students.
Donte Robinson and Rashon Nelson were arrested on April 12, after a Starbucks manager called police to complain that they had not made a purchase and refused to leave.
Police released the men hours later without charges. However, a video of their arrests was widely shared on the internet, sparking protests and calls for a boycott of the popular coffee chain.
Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O), which plans to close 8,000 stores for a half day of anti-bias training on May 29, said Robinson and Nelson will have an opportunity to provide input for the company’s “long-term diversity and equity efforts.”
“We all recognize the importance of communication about differences and solutions, and that we will be measured by our action, not words,” Robinson and Nelson said in a joint statement.
Starbucks also said it had invited the men to complete their undergraduate degrees through the company’s tuition-paid online education partnership with Arizona State University.
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