‘You Gon’ Really Grab a Woman’: Security Guard Stuns Bystanders As He Grabs Woman by Her Neck, Throws Her Down In Restaurant; Attorney Says Video Disputes Drunk Claim

A Black woman who was aggressively thrown out of a Los Angeles restaurant earlier this month posted a video of the altercation, leading to other Black women coming forward saying they have also had negative experiences at the restaurant.

TeJuana Johnson posted the video on Instagram showing her sitting at a table looking into the camera while a male security standing behind her tells her to “get out of here.” The video then cuts to a scene showing the male and a female security guard grabbing hold of her to throw her out.

“You’re gon’ really grab a woman?” Johnson asks as she is getting thrown out.

“Yeah, b-tch!” responds the security guard as he proceeds to throw her out.

The male security guard tells the female security guard to “watch out, watch out” as he takes over and grabs Johnson.

Bystanders let out an audible, “Oh my God” as Johnson is literally thrown to the ground and pepper sprayed twice outside the restaurant.

The incident took place on July 6 at the Melody Bar and Grill near Los Angeles International Airport, an establishment that has been in existence since 1952, according to its website.

“Never in a million years would I have thought that I would be physically assaulted at a place that I absolutely loved coming to,” Johnson said during a news conference Saturday in front of the restaurant when it just happened to be closed for “maintenance,” according to a sign on the door.

“But now all I think of when I think of this place is that the neighborhood bar and grill is simply a nightmare.”

As her initial video began going viral, commenters began calling the establishment, demanding the security guards be fired. More than a week later, Melody Bar and Grill posted a statement on its Facebook page saying the security guards had been fired but also accused Johnson of having been drunk and disorderly.

However, an attorney representing Johnson said that it was a lie.

“It’s victim-shaming trying to say she was intoxicated,” said Toni Jamarilla during Saturday’s press conference.

“Let me say this, she was not, and we have proof of that.”

Jamarilla explained that Johnson arrived at the restaurant with friends at 11:10 p.m. and ordered food at 11:17 p.m., according to her receipts from that night. Johnson’s video, which begins at 11:38 p.m., shows only one drink on the table, which appears to be a plastic glass filled with water and ice.

“They weren’t there for more than 30 minutes,” Jaramilla said. “They also said that they claim she attacked one of the female guards, and that’s untrue. There’s no video that’s going to show that.”

Despite the likelihood of security cameras inside the restaurants, Melody Bar and Grill has not published any video indicating that Johnson was intoxicated or that she attacked a security guard.

Below is an excerpt from their statement:

The management of Melody Bar & Grill extends our apologies to Tejauna Johnson and we condemn the actions of the security guard regarding how he handled the situation with Miss Johnson.

Any kind of violence, verbal or physical is never the answer. We outsource our security with a licensed and bonded company who has been nothing but professional for us. This was a very unfortunate event that occurred and saddens our hearts. By no means does this represent Melody Bar & Grill and who we are in the community. That security guard is no longer working at Melody Bar & Grill.

After conducting an internal investigation, it has been brought to our attention that Miss Johnson was intoxicated and asked to leave the property by one of the female guards. Miss Johnson became aggravated by this and attacked the female guard and said, “I am not going anywhere, if you want me to leave you are going to have to throw me out”. That is when the male guard came into the picture to help protect his co-worker from Miss Johnson’s attacks and helped remove Miss Johnson from the property.

But people commenting on social media about the video said there was no excuse for how they treated her that night.

“I don’t care what she may have done,” said Nona Smith on Facebook. “There’s NO REASON to manhandle her like that. Security were very UNPROFESSIONAL!”

And judging by the other Black women attending Saturday’s news conference, it was hardly an isolated incident.

Second Victim

“Jan. 22, it happened to myself,” said Sherry Hall.

“Same security guard, same tactics, OK? I had did nothing wrong. I sat right there at the bar, I pride myself on not acting up in public,” Hall said.

“For this to happen, I was really humiliated.”

Hall said she followed up the incident with multiple emails and phone calls to the management of Melody Bar and Grill but never received a response. She also said friends who witnessed the incident also sent letters to management but were also ignored.

“So when I see her video every single time, it brought anxiety for myself,” she said as she teared up, referring to Johnson’s video.

“I’m still having problems right now with nerves going down my arm, from my shoulder to my fingers.”

Third Victim

Yolanda Davidson said six years ago, she was sitting in her car in the parking lot after having spent time inside the restaurant when an intoxicated man from inside the bar began beating his girlfriend on her car.

She said she walked back to the restaurant to contact security guards but when she walked back outside, the man started insulting her and beating her, only for the two security guards to just stand there and watch.

“I’ve never been hit on my head that hard before,” she said. “I’ve never been hit by a man before. And they just stood there and watched.”

Yolanda also said she sent numerous letters to the establishment but never received a response. She said she used to frequent the restaurant about three times a week but has only returned once since the incident six years ago.

“Black women are not safe here,” she said.

Organizers are planning a protest against the restaurant on Saturday, July 20, so it does not look like these victims are going to back down anytime soon.

“I Love to See Black Women Speaking up for themselves,” said Jamila Katura on Facebook. “I want to see these women and all the women that have been assaulted get justice.”

‘You Gon’ Really Grab a Woman’: Security Guard Stuns Bystanders As He Grabs Woman by Her Neck, Throws Her Down In Restaurant; Attorney Says Video Disputes Drunk Claim