While scrolling through social media last week, I came across a video from the New York Post showing a Black woman getting punched in the face by a security guard at a Taco Bell Cantina in downtown L.A. For some reason, this one hit different. I couldn’t shake it. So, I stopped everything and reposted it—this time with the commentary it actually deserved, not the cheap joke NY Post and TMZ were running with: “She got served a crunch-slap supreme.”
First, after looking at this video multiple times and slowing it down, I am now convinced that this wasn’t a slap–it looks more like a punch. But whatever it was, that man had no right to put his hands on her.
I don’t care if she walked in there, cussed out everyone and their mommas, dropped her pants, took a piss, and then left a parting gift right in the middle of the dining room— that security guard still had no right to hit her.
“We Don’t Know What Happened Before the Video.” Okay, But We Know What Happened In It.
Of course, the internet being the internet, the usual crowd of naysayers is chiming in: We don’t know what happened before the video started. And sure, that’s technically true. But does it actually matter? Because when the recording does start, the woman is standing at a kiosk, seemingly placing an order, when the security guard walks up behind her and punches her in the face.
But fine, let’s play what if. What if she hit the security guard before the video started? What if she spit on him? He’s a security guard working in downtown L.A.—anyone who works or lives there knows exactly what kind of chaos comes with the territory. More importantly, his job, by definition, includes exercising restraint. If she had hit or spit on a cop, that officer wouldn’t legally be allowed to just turn around and deck her in the face. So why should a security guard get a free pass?
If “Law and Order” Is the Standard, Let’s See It Applied to Him Too.
Since I posted the video and it went viral, I’ve learned that the security guard has been fired. Great. That’s the bare minimum. He wasn’t a Taco Bell employee but worked for a contracted security company—because, of course, big corporations love to outsource responsibility. But let’s be very clear: getting fired is not justice.
Losing a job doesn’t erase the fact that on the video he walked up behind a woman and punched her in the face like it was just another day at work. That’s not just excessive force—that’s assault. And last time I checked, assault is a crime.
Let’s flip the script for a second. If that woman had been the security guard and punched him, does anyone actually believe she’d be walking around free right now? Would she just be “let go” and sent on her way? Absolutely not. She’d be in cuffs, booked, and slapped with multiple charges before she even had a chance to blink.
But because the violence was against a Black woman, the response is basically, Well, he’s been fired, so let’s all move on. Nah. That’s not how this works. Or at least, it shouldn’t be.
L.A. has a new district attorney and a new police chief—so let’s see if that actually means anything. Because we all know criminal charges can be brought against this man, with or without a complaining witness. We’ve seen it happen plenty of times before—just usually not in cases where the victim is a Black woman.
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But because the violence was against a Black woman, the response is basically, Well, he’s been fired, so let’s all move on. Nah. That’s not how this works. Or at least, it shouldn’t be.
If There Was No Video, Would This Even Be a Conversation?
If she were a white woman—or anyone not Black—there’d be outrage, a lawsuit, a viral GoFundMe with six figures overnight. But because she was Black and allegedly homeless, because she didn’t fit the picture of who society deems worthy of protection, she gets turned into clickbait. It’s bad enough people who were there just watched it happen. Not a single person thought, hey, maybe we shouldn’t just stand here and should say or do something.
As much as I’m disappointed in every single person who just stood or sat there and did absolutely nothing, I can’t say I’m surprised. The bystander effect is real, and unfortunately, so is the learned indifference when violence is happening to Black women.
Now, pulling out my phone wouldn’t have been my first instinct in that situation. I’d like to think I would’ve done something, said something, stepped in somehow. But I’m also glad someone did hit record, because let’s be real—if there were no video, we wouldn’t even be talking about this right now. It would just be another case of violence swept under the rug, dismissed, and forgotten.
The internet being the internet, I knew it was only a matter of time before both the woman and the security guard were identified. Because let’s be real—if you ever need to find someone, social media will have their name, job history, and childhood best friend’s cousin’s LinkedIn before the cops even finish their coffee.
Side note: If I ever go missing or get murdered—just drop the details on social media. Sometimes it seems like the internet detectives out here solve more cases than the actual professionals.
That said, selfies excluded–I try to use social media responsibly. I didn’t post the man’s name because I don’t need anyone’s death on my conscience. And I’m not about to contribute to the swarm of opportunists trying to latch onto this case for clout by exposing the woman either because she has real life trauma she’s experiencing right now. But I do hope she finds a solid attorney and sues the hell out of everyone involved.
When Society Doesn’t See You as Human, Violence Becomes Acceptable.
If I stepped outside in my house clothes, no makeup, and my hair undone, some people would probably mistake me for being homeless too—because Black women don’t get the luxury of being “off-duty.” We don’t get to be unpolished without assumptions being made about our worth, our status, or whether we even deserve basic respect.
And that’s exactly what happened here. A Black woman wasn’t seen as human, so a security guard put hands on her like she was nothing.
This isn’t just about her. It’s about all of us. Being tired, disheveled, or struggling is all it takes for people to decide we’re disposable.
This is exactly why Black women have to scream to be seen as human. Because when stuff like this happens, too many people shrug, laugh, or move on like it’s a skit.
What I’m looking for right now is for my police chief and district attorney to step up and get the wheels of justice turning—because that’s their job, right? That starts with the security guard’s arrest and criminal charges being filed.
L.A. is supposedly in its new era of no-nonsense law enforcement. Cool. Then let’s make sure that includes actually protecting Black women. Because if “law and order” is the standard now, then let’s see it applied across the board—not just when it’s easy or when the victim fits a more “sympathetic” narrative.
