FAYETTEVILLE, N.C -- A Fayetteville man who was caught on cell phone video being choked and slammed to the ground by a police officer outside a Warsaw Waffle House spoke out about the ordeal.
- Lawyer says Waffle House employees were aggressors in incident.
- Warsaw police are seen on video pushing Anthony Wall to the ground.
- SBI and Warsaw police are investigating.
Anthony Wall was joined by his family and attorneys in Fayetteville on Monday.
Ben Crump, who is best known for his representation for the family of Trayvon Martin, says he believes Wall's arrest was based on race and sexual orientation.
READ MORE: Cop chokes, slams man in porm tux to ground
He believes the issue began with the Waffle House workers’ treatment of Wall inside the restaurant moments before police officers were called.
"It was the Waffle House employees that were the initial aggressors. It was the Waffle House employees who were unprofessional to their customers," said Crump. "It was the Waffle House employees who used homophobic slurs towards Anthony Wall and this here is unacceptable. If you don't respect our business, then don't expect our dollars."
Wall says the argument happened as he ate at the Waffle House after taking his 16-year-old sister to prom.
The Warsaw officer involved says Wall was resisting arrest with led to the altercation.
Wall is currently being charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. His lawyers are demanding the release of police body camera footage and surveillance video from the restaurant.
The SBI and Warsaw police are both investigating the arrest.