A white man sprayed his neighbours and their guests with a water hose to break up their party in a racist attack, a lawsuit alleges.
The birthday celebration in Forest Hills, New York, took a disturbing racial turn after a woman with a "menacing German shepherd" dog arrived and demanded that they turn down the music. A man then followed and unleashed a hose on the gathering. The lawsuit likened the scene to the civil rights demonstrations of 1960s Birmingham, Alabama, where fire hoses were used to douse African Americans.
The party - hosted by Dr. Yves Duroseau a senior doctor at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan - and his wife, Claude, was intended to celebrate the 47th birthday of Rosevony Duroseau, the host's sister.
The celebration, attended by approximately 15 guests, was held in the backyard of Duroseau's home. The guests represented a diverse group of individuals, with most being of Black or Latino descent. Among them were academics from Fordham Law School, attorneys from the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, members of New York Governor Kathy Hochul's administration, bank executives, a New Jersey public schools administrator, public defenders, and influential figures like Rigo Morales, co-founder of the Recording Academy's Black Music Collective.
Rosevony's fiancé, the co-founder and CEO of a cybersecurity risk management consultancy, was also in attendance. The catering was provided by renowned chef Vanessa Cantave, a winner of Bravo's "Rocco's Dinner Party."
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Dr Yves Duroseau was one of the first people in the US to receive the Covid-19 vaccine (Hoo-me / MediaPunch/MediaPunch/IPx)The joyous occasion took a disturbing turn when an unidentified white woman arrived at the party with a "large, menacing German shepherd." According to a civil lawsuit obtained by The Daily Beast, she demanded that the music in the backyard be turned down. When her efforts to silence the guests did not yield results quickly enough, the party took a sudden and forceful turn.
A neighbour, identified in court filings as 48-year-old Marcus Rosebrock, allegedly intervened by grabbing his backyard hose and spraying the guests with increasing water pressure in an attempt to disperse them. Mina Q. Malik, one of the attorneys representing the Duroseau family and their guests, expressed her shock at the incident, stating: "I was appalled and disgusted that water hosing and German shepherds were being used against people of colour in New York City in 2022." She added that everyone who attended the party was left deeply scarred, feeling degraded and humiliated.
Vanessa Cantave, a renowned chef who catered the event, is known for winning Bravo's cooking competition show, "Rocco's Dinner Party" (Bravo/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)The Duroseaus' lawsuit alleges that Rosebrock violated their civil rights under Title 8 of the New York City Administrative Code by interfering with their right to enjoy their property in Queens. The incident has left the couple feeling like "prisoners in their own home," as they have not held any backyard events since.
The Duroseaus, along with their 15 guests, the caterer, and her sous chef, are seeking unspecified monetary damages for the mental anguish and emotional distress they endured. As of now, Rosebrock, a German national, has not responded to the lawsuit, and his side of the story remains untold. Rosebrock's attorney, Brandon Gillard, denies the allegations, stating that his client is not racist, and his actions were not racially motivated. He expects his client's side of the story to be presented in court.
Rigo Morales, a high-powered figure in the music industry was also a guest at the party (Getty Images)The disturbing incident began when the dinner ended around 9:50 p.m., as the catering crew began cleaning up. An unidentified woman and her German Shepherd entered the Duroseaus' home, leading to a tense encounter. Yves Duroseau attempted to reason with her, but when she persisted in demanding the music be lowered, he politely asked her to leave. Shortly after, Marcus Rosebrock, the neighbour, allegedly turned a hose on the guests, unleashing high-pressure water on them.
Despite the shocking and humiliating experience, the Duroseaus and their guests remain committed to seeking justice for the assaultive conduct, battery, and civil rights violations they endured that night. The incident has not only left emotional scars but also raised questions about the need for accountability and justice in cases of racial discrimination and harassment.
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