What was meant to be a relaxed Friendsgiving celebration has now spiraled into a federal lawsuit.
Nine Black women say an evening at an upscale steakhouse in Chesapeake, Virginia ended with them being publicly humiliated, stereotyped, and forced out — all because of a fight they insist had nothing to do with them.
They’re now suing Cork & Bull Chophouse for $5 million, alleging racial discrimination and civil rights violations stemming from the November 6 incident.
The Fight That Sparked Everything
Video circulating online shows two women — neither part of the plaintiffs’ group — getting into a heated physical altercation inside the restaurant.
One woman, dressed in black, can be seen grabbing another woman in hot pink by the hair and throwing punches as tables are knocked over and nearby diners scatter.
Restaurant staff eventually stepped in to break up the fight and escort those two women out.
According to the lawsuit, that should have been the end of it — but it wasn’t.
“Because You All Like to Fight”
Shortly after the brawling women were removed, staff allegedly turned their attention to a nearby table occupied by the nine friends.
Shakoya Holt, one of the women now suing, says they had just ordered drinks and were completely uninvolved.
Still, Holt claims management told them they also had to leave.
When she asked why, Holt says the response stunned her: “Because you all like to fight.”
The group says they were made to stand up and exit in front of a packed dining room, placing them in what Holt described as a deeply humiliating spotlight.
From Celebration to Embarrassment
Holt says the moment wiped out the joy of the evening instantly.
What should have been laughter and clinking glasses turned into silence, stares, and shame.
She described the experience as hurtful and degrading, saying everyone in the restaurant was suddenly watching them as if they were responsible for the chaos.
“We were all put in a negative spotlight,” she said. “It was embarrassing.”
What the Lawsuit Claims
Filed last week in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the lawsuit accuses the restaurant of wrongful removal, racial stereotyping, denial of service, and verbal assault.
The women say they were all wearing white tops and jeans, making them visually distinct from other patrons — and clearly separate from the women involved in the fight.
According to the suit, police later confirmed the group had no involvement in the altercation and allowed them to retrieve their belongings.
It was during that process, the women allege, that restaurant employees verbally lashed out at them.
Emotional and Medical Fallout
The lawsuit says the incident didn’t end at the restaurant doors.
At least one woman required medical attention due to stress, while others sought counseling afterward.
Their attorney, Joyvan Malbon-Griffin, argues the women were treated more harshly than the actual participants in the fight.
Her message, she says, is simple: they’ve reached a breaking point.
“Enough is enough,” she said. “They are not going to take it.”
NAACP Steps In
Civil rights groups have publicly backed the women.
Both the NAACP Virginia State Conference and the NAACP Chesapeake Branch have voiced solidarity.
Reverend Cozy Bailey, president of the Virginia State Conference, called the incident a sobering reminder that racial bias still shows up in everyday spaces.
He said no one should be judged or mistreated based on skin color and urged the community to demand accountability.
Protests and Pushback
Community outrage followed quickly after the women first spoke out in November.
Demonstrations were held outside Cork & Bull, drawing attention — and controversy.
Restaurant owner Robert “Brian” Mullins says those protests, along with threats and hostile emails, severely damaged the business and frightened staff.
In an open letter, Mullins said he and his wife spent more than 80 days reviewing surveillance footage and conducted an internal investigation that, in his view, supported staff decisions that night.
A Meeting That Never Happened
Mullins claims the women were invited to meet and discuss the incident, but declined.
Their attorney tells a different story.
Malbon-Griffin says the proposed meeting was to take place inside the restaurant itself — something the women could not bring themselves to do.
For them, she said, the space has become traumatic.
Some haven’t eaten out at all since, even during the holidays, out of fear of a repeat experience.
She added that she offered to meet on their behalf elsewhere, but never received a response.
Preparing for Court
Now, with the case moving forward, Mullins says the restaurant is ready to defend itself.
He insists racism played no role in staff decisions and says the court process will allow facts — not accusations — to speak.
In his words, the family has operated businesses for decades without regard to race, age, or gender.
“To call us racist,” he wrote, “you do not know us.”
What Comes Next
With emotions high on both sides and a community watching closely, the dispute is heading to court.
The women say they want justice, accountability, and acknowledgment of harm.
The restaurant says it expects full vindication.
What happens next will likely shape not only this case — but how similar incidents are handled far beyond one dining room in Chesapeake.
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