Source: Screen Grab via YouTube

The two unidentified black men were placed in handcuffs and led out of Starbucks without an explanation. Since Philly police have launched an investigation.

Social media has been lit ablaze after novelist Melissa DePino posted a video on Twitter, capturing the moment when two black men were arrested at a Philadelphia Starbucks for reasons unknown. The two unidentified black men were placed in handcuffs and led out of the Starbucks on 18th and Spruce Streets as confused witnesses pressed police for an explanation.

According to reports, the police were initially called because the two black men had not ordered anything and were waiting on a friend. So, essentially, these two black men who were “waiting while black" were arrested, placed in a cop car, and considered a threat without actually doing anything. In a longer video of the incident, which is about eight minutes in length and can be seen below, shows the black men being calm throughout the encounter with police. And one of the officers can be heard saying the men were asked to leave the Starbucks for reasons that remain unclear.

Both the video on Twitter and the longer version on YouTube generated intense scrutiny of Starbucks and the situation as a whole because why do certain people find it acceptable to make biased assumptions? A: Because racism and racial profiling. Witnesses to the arrest were shocked and confused, as Melissa DePino captured the whole thing. Later on, she said that the two men were released from detainment without any charges being filed.

Starbucks said that the Philadelphia police will conduct an internal investigation into the situation.

SOURCE: The Grio