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Center City Starbucks at center of controversy hit by vandalism

Monday, September 3, 2018

Center City Starbucks at center of controversy hit by vandals. Watch this report from Action News at 4:30 p.m. on September 3, 2018.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A Starbucks store in Center City Philadelphia, once at the center of a racial profiling controversy, is now at the center of a vandalism investigation.

The Action Cam was at the store on the corner of 18th and Spruce on Monday as a repair crew cleaned up broken glass from the sidewalk.

Though police received a report about the shattered window panes around 6 a.m., they aren't sure exactly what time it happened.

This is the same store that made headlines around the world in April following the arrest of two black men.

Men arrested at Philly Starbucks speak to Good Morning America on May 3, 2018.

Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson were arrested April 12 within minutes of arriving at the store.

The incident led to protests, followed by policy changes by both Starbucks and the Philadelphia Police Department.

LISTEN: Philadelphia police release call from Starbucks employee. Maggie Kent reports during Action News at 5pm on April 17, 2018.

Starbucks tells Action News they believe the vandals chose the store because of that incident, but say they were specifically protesting the use of prison labor.

The company maintains it does not use prison labor for any products.

No arrests have been made.