Virginia steakhouse hit with $5m lawsuit after diners allege racial discrimination

A group of nine women have filed a $5 million lawsuit against an upscale Virginia steakhouse, claiming they were wrongly thrown out after a fight broke out nearby.

The lawsuit centres on an incident last November at Cork and Bull Chophouse in Chesapeake, where footage later shared online showed two women brawling inside the packed restaurant, reports The Independent.

The video captured tables being knocked over as the pair heckled with each other, leaving other diners stunned.

But the women now suing say they were not involved in the fight at all.

According to the claim, the group had gathered at the restaurant for a Friendsgiving dinner when staff asked them to leave after the altercation. They allege the actual fighters were not part of their gathering and had already left before police arrived.

One of the women, Shakoya Holt spoke to broadcaster 10 On Your Side. She said she was told it was ‘because you all like to fight’ - a remark the group describes as humiliating and racially charged.

Another member of the group, Ashley Pickens, said the women felt singled out and embarrassed as they were made to stand and leave in front of other diners.

"It was all eyes on us," she said. "We were put in a negative spotlight."

The restaurant’s owners, however, have firmly denied any allegations of racism or discrimination.

In a statement, they said they carried out a full internal investigation and reviewed surveillance footage from the night of November 6, concluding their staff acted appropriately.

The women reject that conclusion and say their version of events has not been properly acknowledged.