*Four Black Army soldiers just trying to leave an IHOP in Lorton, VA after enjoying a meal were harassed by a white woman who hurled racial slurs at them and began ranting randomly about Black Lives Matter and Antifa.
Two viral TikTok videos of the April 19th incident show soldiers from nearby Fort Belvoir about to leave the restaurant after a white woman offered to pay for their meal. The woman apparently left cash on their table but then moments later came back and accused them of stealing the money. Video shows the woman sitting down at their table and addressing them as “sh*tbags,” while appearing to block them from leaving.”
For some unknown reason, the woman continues cursing at the soldiers as they ask her to leave them alone. In a second video, a non-uniformed white male customer, who was identified in the video as a retired airman, confronts the woman demanding that she leave. The woman then threatens him, saying saying, “I will f—— drop you. You wanna go? You wanna go?”
“Oh? Drop me? Really?” the man responded.
The woman was finally escorted out of the restaurant, asking random customers if they were the “thin blue line,” “BLM” and “Antifa.”
Watch below:
Another angle:
*VIDEO: A group of Black soldiers stationed at Fort Belvoir were harassed by a woman this week at an IHOP in Northern VA
Mom of one of the soldiers sent me these videos
“It brings awareness about racism and issues in this world and here that we’re going to have to fix.”@wusa9 pic.twitter.com/t8wTRRNZMi
— Tom Dempsey (@KCTomDempsey) April 22, 2021
In a statement, a spokesman for Fort Belvoir said the incident is under internal review and applauded the soldiers.
“We are committed to fostering an environment of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in our force. A view of the video will show the Soldiers maintained their composure and military bearing throughout this shocking incident,” said Joe Richard, public affairs director for Fort Belvoir, calling the soldiers “well-trained and disciplined.”
Richard said officials don’t have specific information on the woman in the video or her motivation. “She offered to pay for their meal, which is not uncommon when people meet military personnel, it’s a gesture as a way to thank them for their service,” the spokesperson said. “She placed $30 on their table.”
However, the woman returned moments later, incensed for an unknown reason and claiming the men had stolen her money. “She became antagonistic, claiming the soldiers had taken her money and directed racially charged language at the soldiers,” Richard said.
It doesn’t appear anyone called the police and one of those soldiers later said in another TikTok video he forgives the woman and wants to move on.
IHOP released the following statement:
“IHOP and its franchisees do not condone the statements made by the guest in this video, and will not tolerate racism, bigotry or harassment of any kind. For more than 60 years, we have strived to create a warm and hospitable dining experience for all guests, and this isolated incident is not reflected of that ongoing commitment.”
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