Philadelphia mayor orders review of Starbucks policies after arrest of black men

The mayor of Philadelphia has ordered a city commission to review policies at Starbucks after the arrest of two black men prompted social media users to accuse the company of racial discrimination.

Videos posted online show officers handcuffing the men in the downtown Philadelphia establishment on Thursday.

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Mayor Jim Kenney said Saturday he was “heartbroken” to see the city in the headlines for an incident that appears at this point “to exemplify what racial discrimination looks like in 2018.”

Kenney says he’s asked the Commission on Human Relations to examine the company’s policies and procedures “including the extent of, or need for, implicit bias training for its employees.”

READ MORE: Video of 2 men being removed from Philadelphia Starbucks goes viral, sparks outrage

The city’s police commissioner defended the arrests, saying employees said the men wanted to use the restroom but were denied because they hadn’t bought anything. He says they repeatedly refused to leave.