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A woman dining at HIRO Japanese Restaurant & Lounge in Miami, Florida, one evening was left “very distraught” after she witnessed police officers use what she described as “excessive force” to detain a Black man whom she claims had done nothing wrong. According to the customer, restaurant employees allegedly called the police and falsely reported that the man was armed so officers would get to the scene faster.
The woman said she had not observed any real disturbance or threat beforehand and believes that the claim not only escalated the situation unnecessarily but also put the man’s life at risk.
What the Witness Says Happened Inside the Restaurant
Based on the woman’s account, she had been seated outside the restaurant when police suddenly arrived to detain the man. She said the man appeared frightened and ran back inside the restaurant with his hands raised, repeatedly saying, “I walked here. I walked here.” To her, his behavior did not suggest he was armed or dangerous but rather scared and confused by the sudden police presence.
The woman further claimed that the man was escorted outside into the parking lot, where officers allegedly pushed him against a car and began restraining him. At that point, she said a white male bystander stepped in to advocate for the man, attempting to speak with the officers on his behalf and calm the situation.
Initially, the police appeared to release the man. But a few moments later, things became a lot more complicated.
Police Allegedly Escalate the Situation Outside
The woman claimed that after briefly letting the man go, officers suddenly tackled him to the ground, and one of them allegedly stepped on his arm while he was still lying there. “The police officer that’s on him is already way bigger than him,” she said in one of the videos she uploaded to TikTok. “I’m so confused. There’s nothing in this man’s hand… Man is not armed at all.”
She added that while the man may have raised his voice at some point, she did not see him act aggressively toward police or anyone else.
Still, more patrol cars arrived at the scene, and the newly arrived officers allegedly rushed to restrain the man while also positioning their vehicles to block the view of what was happening. Despite that, the woman insisted that onlookers could still see what was unfolding. “We see y’all. We see y’all. It’s not being hidden,” she said.
More Claims Come Up
The woman said that after she began yelling at the officers, repeatedly insisting that the man was unarmed and posed no threat, another woman who had been seated inside the restaurant approached her. According to the witness, the woman said she had watched the man’s interactions inside the establishment and did not believe he had done anything wrong.
The witness further alleged that the woman told her she overheard restaurant staff saying they had called police and lied about the man being armed so officers would arrive more quickly.
“Do y’all understand how crazy it is to sit here and weaponize racism and police brutality?” the witness said in the video. “There’s a potential that this Black man might get killed wrongfully.” She also alleged that during the arrest, some restaurant employees were “recording and laughing.”
Restaurant Responds and Releases Surveillance Footage
After the witness’s videos were uploaded to TikTok and quickly gained traction online, a woman who claimed to be a staff member at the restaurant posted a response addressing the allegations. In her video, the employee said the restaurant did not act out of racism and denied that staff ever lied to police.
According to her account, the man had been drinking and was disruptive inside the restaurant. She claimed he approached multiple tables, made guests uncomfortable, and continued the behavior despite several warnings from staff. “We had to call the police,” she said, explaining that employees had spoken to him “many, many times” before contacting law enforcement. She denied claims that staff told police the man was armed and said accusations of racism were “far from the truth.”
The employee also shared CCTV footage showing staff members speaking with the man, stating that the interactions appeared calm and non-aggressive. She even said that after he was removed from the restaurant by the police, the man still returned the next day to apologize to the staff for his behavior.
Before ending her video, she emphasized that the establishment does not tolerate racism in any form. “I just want to clear up our name,” she said. “We value each and every single one of our customers, no matter what race you are.”
Netizens Remain Unconvinced
Despite the restaurant’s response, many viewers remained skeptical. Some commenters said the footage did not support claims that the man was disruptive or stumbling, while others questioned why police were called at all if the interaction was as calm as described.
“You said it was a friendly conversation. Couldn’t see him stumbling, being disruptive, or talking to customers,” one person wrote. “It doesn’t make sense that the police were called.”
Another comment stated, “This don’t clear up anything,” while another asked, “Why did you not go outside to let cops know he did nothing wrong?” Several people also vowed never to return to the restaurant, while others urged legal action, with one writing, “He needs to sue! It won’t repair the trauma, but he needs reparations.”
