*A press conference was held by civil rights activist Najee Ali on behalf of Elijah Dawkins, a former employee of Benihana restaurant, and Yolanda Davidson, a customer, who were victims of racist treatment inside the restaurant in Torrance, CA.
A coalition of community organizations working with the AAPI Equity Alliance and the LA vs Hate Network, which includes Project Islamic Hope, Los Angeles Metropolitan Churches, and over 40 community-based organizations, has issued a coalition Statement on the Incident of Racism at Benihana, Torrance:
The coalition of community organizations expressed grave concern regarding the reports of racism and discriminatory behavior toward Watkins, Davidson and other African American patrons at the Benihana restaurant. The coalition noted that such incidents of racism violate not only moral and ethical standards, but also the fundamental rights of all individuals to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality.
What Happened
While specific details concerning the incident are still emerging, we know for a fact that Elijah Watkins and the family of Yolanda Davidson were unjustly pepper-sprayed by security and subjected to racist remarks and discriminatory treatment inside the premises of Benihana in Torrance. These actions are unacceptable, harmful, and must be addressed immediately.
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Our Position:
Condemnation of Racism
We strongly condemn any form of racism—verbal, physical, or structural. No individual should feel unsafe or disrespected in a public establishment because of their race, ethnicity, or national origin.
Demand for Accountability and Transparency
We call on Benihana (Torrance location), their parent company, and management to fully investigate the incident and make all findings public. Accountability is essential, including appropriate consequences for those responsible if the allegations are substantiated.
Policy & Training Reforms
We insist that Benihana take the following actions immediately:
Implement mandatory anti-discrimination and anti-bias training for all staff (management, front-of-house, back-of-house, security)
Adopt or strengthen policies that protect patrons and employees from racism and discriminatory behavior
Create procedures for transparent reporting of complaints by customers and staff, including timely investigation and feedback
Support for the Affected
We stand in solidarity with those harmed by this incident and demand that Benihana reach out to the affected individual(s) with a sincere apology and take concrete steps to ensure remediation.
Community Oversight & Partnership
We encourage involvement of community stakeholders—local civil rights groups, city officials, legal advisors—to ensure oversight of the resolution process. This is not simply a corporate matter; it is a matter of justice and community trust.
Call to Action
We urge Benihana to act swiftly—not only to address this particular incident—but to set a standard for all public-facing businesses in Torrance and beyond. Racism has no place in our communities. Balanced policies, thorough training, accountability, and respect are essential to ensuring that every person is treated fairly.
The Statement ended with this word of praise for EURweb which was FIRST to report the racial nature of the incident:
“In conclusion we’re grateful for the media coverage of EURweb which continues to report on breaking news first much as the racist incident at Benihana that was later covered nationally by other news organizations.”
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