White Cop Accused of 'Racially Profiling' Black Man at Diner in Viral Video

Footage of a white police officer allegedly "racially profiling" a Black man at a local diner has gone viral online.

According to WPXI-TV, Marcus Townsend was eating at G&G Restaurant in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania on Saturday, April 17 with his girlfriend and their service dog. During the meal, he was approached by a white cop regarding the dog's paperwork.

"He had just come in and had a problem with the dog at first. He didn't want the dog in there. He wanted to see service papers," Townsend told the outlet. "We don't carry service papers. It's just not necessary."

"It was just a big ordeal that he wanted me out of the store, basically that's what he wanted from the jump," Townsend told WTAE. "He didn't want to argue. He already had what he wanted to do in the first place so I was just sitting there taking the rap for the whole mess."

In a video that was posted this weekend to Twitter, the officer demands to see Townsend's identification without telling him why he was called in.

"Do you have any ID on you?" the officer asks.

"No, I don't have to give you my ID, sir," Townsend retorts.

As the two go back and forth, the cop requests a backup unit and tells Townsend that he is "the superior officer."

Eventually, Townsend concedes and hands over his driver's license. "Racial profiling, man," he says.

"Oh yeah, it's racial profiling!" the officer says. "Oh yeah, 'cause I just don't like Black people ... Everybody knows me knows that I don't care whether you're white, brown or tan."

At this point, Townsend asks the policeman if he is inebriated. "Are you drunk, sir?" he asks.

He claims he is just "tired of his attitude."

In a follow-up video posted to Twitter, Townsend and two cops are outside of the restaurant, the instigating officer asks a colleague via walkie-talkie for any criminal information available on Townsend.

"When I got outside, he sat me down and basically wanted to run a criminal background, wanted to see if I had warrants," Townsend told WPXI-TV.

As of Monday, both videos have been viewed nearly 1 million times collectively. Viewers were appalled by the cop's behavior, and several showed concern regarding the allegations that he was inebriated on the job.

"The officer needs to provide *specifically* why he is there and what offense he suspects the gentleman has committed before requesting ID. This man was right in refusing to give his ID," one person tweeted.

"This piece of s**t cop has no business having a badge or a gun," an anonymous viewer wrote. "The other cop should've given him a sobriety test right on the spot. I bet he would've f*****g failed it."

The officer, identified by The Tribune Review as William Moore, had allegedly been brought in after a 911 call claimed a Black man had "smoked marijuana" outside of the establishment that morning. However, G&G Restaurant told WPXI-TV that they neither called the cops nor had any issue with Townsend.

The restaurant later posted about the incident on Facebook. "The entire day we have been deeply saddened by what occurred today," they wrote. "The situation was inexcusable and we completely condemn any type of demeaning behavior towards any individual who walks through our doors."

"Our entire goal is for every person visiting our restaurant to be able to enjoy their entire experience and for us to serve our community," they added. "I would like to tell every single one of our friends and customers to ... always be kind and to always strive to morally be the best that you can be."

According to a statement Police Chief Joseph Caporali made to WTAE, Moore was taken off the schedule pending an internal investigation.

"As a result of this encounter, allegations of possible misconduct of this officer are taken very seriously and the matter is under investigation," Caporali said. "The officer is off schedule until the conclusion of this investigation at which time Vandergrift Borough Council will take appropriate action."

The Tribune Review noted that Moore's suspension does come with pay. The outlet also obtained court records that state he was put on paid leave in 2017 for allegedly assaulting and harassing a 14-year-old boy. He later pleaded guilty to the harassment charges.

This is the latest incident in which a Black patron has been seemingly targeted by others in the restaurant. Earlier this month, a Black Army soldier recorded a white woman insulting him and his coworkers at an IHOP, calling them "s***bags."