Marlon Wayans says he fully intends to boycott Houston's in light of the alleged incident of brutality that has rallied a new wave of protests against the Atlanta restaurant - and he is asking his fans to refuse the establishment any of their business as well.
Houston's has been under fire since video of a violent Mother's Day quarrel that took place between an employee and three actresses went viral earlier this week. There are conflicting reports as to what exactly went down, with the off-duty police officer who was moonlighting as a security guard that night stating that the women defied several requests for them to exit the restroom and leave the premises after closing hours, and the alleged victims disputing that account.
According to the women, who were arrested for trespassing and obstruction - although it was about a half hour past the official 10:00 p.m. closing time, the restaurant was still servicing patrons. What's more, they say that they were never given a warning or formally asked to leave before the officer (Jose Guzman) began to physically accost them by the restroom facility. Guzman claims that he was punched by one of the women (Brittany Lucio), but photographs appear to show Lucio and her friends Asia'h Epperson and Erica Walker having sustained bruises.
Wayans isn't doubting the accounts given by the women, as he says that he personally knows two of them. He has asked fans to consider joining the community's action before such an incident hits close home for them.
"This mistreatment is going way too far. At some point, s**t gotta stop. And we, as a people (not just Black people), minorities, humans period need to boycott these places that mistreat people," he told a TMZ reporter in New York City on Wednesday, May 23. "Because at some point it's going to come back to your a**. So, if you don't acknowledge it, it's going to come back to your a**, it's going to happen to your sister, it's going to happen to your daughter, and then you're going to want to join the movement."
