BALTIMORE COUNTY — Protestors lined up on the sidewalk outside of Vince's Crabhouse in Middle River on Wednesday morning as the owners hosted a press conference.
They're suing Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski for preventing police to do their job.
RELATED: Vince's Crab House sues Olszewski, claims he endangered lives & property amid protests
Former State Delegate Pat McDonough started the meeting talking about how people have been protesting outside the restaurant for four weeks and that police have done nothing to stop it or protect the business along with it's employees.
The protests started last month after the owner, Vince Meyer, posted a message on Facebook.
It read: "There is one place I bet the protestors/rioters won't light on fire or break into or even block the road to.... the social services building."
The message ended with laughing emojis. Meyer stated the message was not racist but it was perceived that way. After that was found, others found social media message from years ago where Meyer used the N-word. He did make an apology on Facebook.
"When I made the statement that started this whole mess, it wasn't racist. I was just commenting on what I was seeing. They took it as racist. I agree it was offensive, but definitely not racist," said Vince.
When the protests got out of hand at their restaurant, the Meyer's decided to close the restaurant for nine days.
At the press conference on Wednesday, Brenda Meyer stressed they took that time to evaluate the situation as a family and the time we live in. She stressed her family is not racist and never have been racist.
The owners of Vince’s Crabhouse stressed they are not a racist family and the social media post created last month was not racist, even though it may have been perceived that way. @WMAR2News pic.twitter.com/9eKW85OfXD
— Erin MacPherson (@ErinTVnews) July 1, 2020
Brenda said she understands people have the right to protest but this is harassment not peaceful. She said her family and employees feel threatened everyday and have been verbally threatened so they hired their own private security.
She said she just wants to operate her business the way her family has in the last 15 years.
The Meyer's believe Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski told Baltimore County Police Officers to stand down and not arrest any protestors.
Brenda said that's what some of the officers told her directly. The county said they do not comment on pending litigation.
There are other restaurant locations in other counties. Vince said they haven't had any issues with the other locations, when the protests started police shut them down.
The protestors who were out on Wednesday morning did not want to comment. All they said was the truth with be heard on Friday at 10 a.m. when they host their own press conference.
