Actress Thandie Newton popped into a London Starbucks on Thursday and was upset at what she witnessed. The company has been full of controversy lately with nefarious red cups that nearly destroyed the pre-Christmas season, though they really only started a cable news debate from the most vocal protesters. Those bloody polar cookies were worth a laugh, but what about Starbucks’ inadvertent involvement with a mysterious alien life form? Well, that could present future trouble for humanity.
On a more serious note, Newton did not appreciate one sight behind the Starbucks counter. She saw a statue of a black child wearing a loin cloth and safari hat while he held grasped a bowl of beans. Newton was offended at this “circa 19th century display.”
Seriously @Starbucks? At the counter – Loin cloth and Safari hat on a black child. Happy New Year circa 19th century pic.twitter.com/kD3qgKmti1
— Thandiwe Newton (@ThandiweNewton) January 4, 2016
To the company’s credit, Starbucks quickly took to Twitter, as well, and apologized to Newton, saying they had “removed the figure” and were “investigating” the matter.
@thandienewton we are very concerned to learn of this incident & we can’t apologise enough. We have removed the figure & are investigating.
— Starbucks Care (@StarbucksCare) January 5, 2016
On social media, the unkind responses are not worth including here. Newton saw the statue and quickly tweeted about it, so this isn’t an orchestrated fame plot. There are also considerations involved with the coffee trade itself, but again, Newton isn’t taking on global trade issues here. She simply didn’t appreciate one statue’s implications.