A lawsuit claims a white man used a water hose in a racist attack on a group of black and latino people celebrating a birthday in New York.
Party hosts Dr. Yves Duroseau and his wife, from Forest Hills, New York, allege that the incident was motivated by racism.
The gathering was organised to celebrate Rosevony Duroseau’s 47th birthday and was attended by approximately 15 guests in the Duroseau’s backyard.
But the celebrations took an alarming turn when when an unidentified white woman arrived at the party with a “large, menacing German shepherd”.
According to a civil lawsuit, she demanded that the music be turned down in the backyard.
When the guests didn’t comply with her demands, the situation escalated dramatically.
A neighbour, identified as 48-year-old Marcus Rosebrock in court documents, reportedly intervened by grabbing a hose from his backyard and spraying the guests.
Mina Q. Malik, an attorney representing the Duroseau family and their guests, said: “I was appalled and disgusted that water hoses and German shepherds were being employed against people of color in New York City in 2022.”
She added that everyone who attended the party was left feeling degraded and humiliated.
The lawsuit filed by the Duroseau family alleges that Rosebrock violated their civil rights under Title 8 of the New York City Administrative Code, infringing upon their right to enjoy their property in Queens.
This incident has left the couple feeling as though they are “prisoners in their own home”, the lawsuit says, as they have refrained from hosting any events since.
The guests represented a diverse group, primarily of Black or Latino descent, including 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.
The celebration was also attended by Rosevony’s fiancé, the co-founder and CEO of a cybersecurity risk management consultancy, with catering provided by acclaimed chef Vanessa Cantave, known for her victory on Bravo’s “Rocco’s Dinner Party”.
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.
At present, Marcus Rosebrock, a German national, has not personally responded to the lawsuit.
Rosebrock’s attorney, Brandon Gillard, has denied the allegations against his client, saying that his client is not racist and that his actions were not racially motivated.
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