Six uniformed police officers walked into a Tempe, Arizona, Starbucks to get coffee before the start of their shifts on July 4.
A barista then told them they had to move to where customers couldn’t see them — or they had to leave the coffee shop.
No, my friends, this isn’t the start of a stupid dad joke.
This actually happened.
A customer complained that he (or she) didn’t feel safe drinking a $5 cup of coffee in the same establishment as uniformed law enforcement officers.
I mean, say what you will, but it is common knowledge that most instances of Cocoa Cloud Macchiato-fueled police violence occur in over-priced national coffee chains. So who wouldn’t feel threatened?
Related: Police Officers Are Human: Let’s Honor and Realize This Once and for All
It didn’t take long before the story went viral, with the hashtag #DumpStarbucks beginning to trend on Twitter.
For the most part, it seems that the people using this alleged call to boycott were actually celebrating the removal of these police officers from the specific Starbucks in question.
Starbucks apologizes for booting cops over customer's complaint https://t.co/vaXUwxl3ya pic.twitter.com/6zYbApzufd
— New York Post (@nypost) July 7, 2019
JUST IN: Starbucks apologizes after police officers were asked to leave Arizona store https://t.co/gMU85OMw7w pic.twitter.com/BX1OA4jXVk
— The Hill (@thehill) July 7, 2019
Predictably, many of these tweets referenced the case of the bakers who refused to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. However, what this false equivalency fails to note is that this case was over whether or not a business could choose whom to serve.
The regressive Left was outraged when they didn’t get their way that time; now, they’re upset that anyone would be upset that Starbucks did the same thing.
Here is the bottom line up front: Both the bakers in question and Starbucks are absolutely acting within their constitutional rights to deny service. Both examples are beautiful displays of freedom in action.
In response to the numerous requests for comment regarding Tempe Police Officers being asked to leave Starbucks on July 4th, 2019 attached is the statement on behalf of the Tempe Police Department. pic.twitter.com/biTc4eTqTy
— Tempe Police (@TempePolice) July 6, 2019
However, so is the consumers’ freedom to choose what businesses they frequent.
Mad that a baker won’t help celebrate your so-called marriage?
Cool. Don’t go there. Tell your friends.
Think it is unconscionable to deny our uniformed public servants access to a Starbucks?
Cool. Don’t go there. Tell your friends.
Well, don’t tell any friends you know are criminals that Starbucks has forbidden law enforcement from their premises. That would be just plain rude.
Update to this story, as many outlets are reporting: Starbucks apologized to the Tempe Police Department on Sunday after meeting with the police chief, Sylvia Moir.
This OpsLens piece is used by permission.
Read more at OpsLens:
Pilot Testimony of F-35 Combats Doubts
Mississippi Triples Consequences for Anti-Police Crimes
FDNY Employs Fire Drone in a First for Urban Firefighting Operations
The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette.
Join the Discussion
COMMENTS POLICY: We have no tolerance for messages of violence, racism, vulgarity, obscenity or other such discourteous behavior. Thank you for contributing to a respectful and useful online dialogue.