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A Louisana Chilli’s restaurant is under fire after an incident last weekend showed signs of possible racial bias. A group of Black patrons was outside talking with friends with their to-go boxes in hand when cops arrived saying the manager of the store wanted them gone from the premises.
As reported by local outlet WWLTV, a group of friends and family met at a Chili’s in Abbeville, Lousiana and took the party outside to the parking lot in where they ran into a friend who was just back in town. Naturally, conversations with folks catching up run long but according to the group’s account, they were just speaking among themselves.
One member of the group, Laura Briggs, recorded a video that has since gone viral of the police arriving at the scene who instructed them that the group had to move on. One of the group members recognized an officer, trying to get more insight on why they had to leave.
More from WWLTV:
The officers explained to the group that the managers wanted them gone, that the parking lot was private property and “they can decide who they do and don’t want in there.”
The explanation didn’t sit well with the group, particularly one of the men, who knew one of the officers. He was unhappy but remained calm and asked officers why they were being asked to leave. He asked if it was because “we’re black.”
The officers at no time gave a reason as to why the managers wanted the group gone, only saying that “they have the right to refuse service to anybody.” The back and forth between the group and the officers, who seemed to know some of the people in the group, remained civil for the most part. The event ended with the group taking its ‘go’ boxes and leaving.
Briggs and others in the group believed they were being racially profiled. A spokesperson from Chili’s offered to speak in grander detail with the patrons about what took place and apologized, but say that the group refused to meet.
But really what needs to be said is that white people need to stop calling the police on Black people over nothing.
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Photo: Getty
