What was meant to be a Friendsgiving celebration at an upscale Virginia steakhouse ended instead in embarrassment, anger, and a $5 million lawsuit.

Nine women have filed suit against the Cork and Bull Chophouse, alleging they were wrongly thrown out of the restaurant following a violent altercation they say had nothing to do with them — and that race played a decisive role in the decision.

The incident unfolded on November 6 and quickly went viral. Cellphone footage shows two women fighting inside the restaurant, grabbing and shoving each other and knocking over tables as stunned diners look on. Those women, according to the plaintiffs, were not part of the nine-person group gathered for dinner.

Still, the group says they were asked to leave after the fight had already ended.

“I asked why,” local resident Shakoya Holt told local outlet 10 On Your Side, “and he responded, saying, ‘because you all like to fight.’” Holt said the moment turned what should have been a festive night into “a night of hurt, embarrassment and pure humiliation.”

Another member of the group, Ashley Pickens, described the scene as deeply degrading. “We were all put in a negative spotlight in that moment,” she said. “It was all eyes on us. Very embarrassing.”

The women say the two individuals actually involved in the brawl had already left before authorities arrived and that calm had returned to the restaurant before staff singled them out. They believe they were removed not for safety reasons, but because of the color of their skin.

Restaurant owners Robert Mullins and his wife, Teresa Mullins, have forcefully denied those allegations. In a statement, Robert Mullins said the couple conducted an extensive internal investigation, including a review of surveillance footage.

“That review provided overwhelming evidence supporting the decisions made by our team,” he said, rejecting claims of racial discrimination.

But Holt and her friends say the restaurant’s internal review rings hollow. They argue that no meaningful apology or accountability followed, prompting them to hire civil rights attorney Joyvan Malbon-Griffin.

“All nine of these women were treated more harshly than the two people who were actually engaged in the misdemeanor action,” Malbon-Griffin said, adding that her clients had reached a breaking point. “They have said enough is enough and we are not going to take it.”

The case has drawn the attention of civil rights groups. The NAACP Virginia State Conference and the NAACP Chesapeake Branch released statements backing the women and condemning what they described as racially biased treatment.

“This incident is a painful reminder that racism remains embedded in our daily lives,” said Rev. Cozy Bailey, president of the state conference. “It is unacceptable for anyone to be judged or mistreated based solely on the color of their skin.”

Mullins said he and his wife initially avoided public comment while they spent more than 80 days reviewing footage and claimed the women were invited to meet with them to discuss the incident — an offer the plaintiffs declined.

The owners say the controversy has caused serious harm to the restaurant’s reputation and bottom line. The women, meanwhile, say the harm was done that night, when a celebration ended with public humiliation.