Black man choked, slammed to the ground at Waffle House after taking his sister to prom

A man who had just taken his little sister to prom was choked and slammed to the ground outside a Waffle House in North Carolina on Saturday.

The arrest of Anthony Wall, 22, has drawn condemnation from the NAACP's Legal Defense Fund and Bernice King, the daughter of Martin Luther King Jr.

Wall's is the second forceful arrest of an African American by white officers at a Waffle House in recent weeks. People were enraged in late April when three white officers wrestled a black woman to the ground at a restaurant in Saraland, Alabama.

"Our review of these incidents do not indicate race was an issue in the decision to call the police in either case," Waffle House said in a statement. "Both incidents escalated quickly, and our employees called the police because of safety concerns for their customers and themselves. We train our employees to call the police whenever they feel in danger, or if they feel their customers are in danger."

The incident involving Wall drew national interest after he posted a video of the encounter on Facebook, where it's been viewed nearly a million times. In the video, Wall is slammed up against a glass window by an officer, who grabs him by the throat and throws him to the ground.

Yale: Black Yale student reported to police for sleeping in her dorm

Waffle House: Despite outrage over viral video, Waffle House calls black customer's arrest 'appropriate'

Starbucks: Philadelphia mayor 'heartbroken' after black men arrested at Starbucks

Wall, who was wearing a yellow tuxedo vest, white button-up shirt and black pants during the event, took his 16-year-old sister to her high school prom earlier in the night, reports ABC11. The News & Observer reports Wall got into an argument with the restaurant's staff and police were called. The newspaper said he faces charges of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

Warsaw Police are investigating the incident, Police Chief Eric Southerland said in a statement to ABC11.

The NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF), a racial justice legal organization, called the officer's conduct "grossly inappropriate" and called for an investigation of his body-camera footage as well as surveillance video. The officer, the LDF's statement adds, should be placed on administrative duty throughout the investigation.

The woman arrested at the Waffle House in Alabama, Chikesia Clemons, had complained about being charged extra for plasticware before being arrested. Although police said her account differs from what they found during an investigation.

Waffle House: What the Waffle House hero James Shaw Jr. plans to do with $229K GoFundMe donations

DeEbony Groves: Shirl Baker, mother of Waffle House shooting victim accepts daughter's diploma

“In both cases, the Black customers were reportedly unarmed and non-violent," the LDF statement said. "Neither situation warranted police intervention, let alone such gratuitous use-of-force. Waffle House must conduct an extensive review and overhaul of its policies to ensure that employees do not needlessly subject customers of color to police contact and brutality. Police officials are not a private security force for untrained Waffle House employees. Waffle House cannot continue to avoid this issue."

Waffle House's statement said there's more to the story than the videos suggest and asked people to consider all facts "before making up their minds."

"For example, in the Warsaw, N.C., incident, Mr. Wall told WTVD-TV in Raleigh that he takes full responsibility for his interaction with Waffle House employees inside our restaurant," the restaurant's statement said. "And in the Saraland, Ala., incident eye witnesses, both customers and employees, report threats of violence to our employees were made by Ms. Clemons’ party including use of a gun"

Bernice King posted a call to action on Twitter after seeing the video.

"Family, let's stay out of Waffle House until the corporate office legitimately and seriously commits to 1) discussion on racism, 2) employee training, and 3) other plans to change; and until they start to implement changes," she said.

Family, let’s stay out of @WaffleHouse until the corporate office legitimately and seriously commits to 1) discussion on racism, 2) employee training, and 3) other plans to change; and until they start to implement changes. https://t.co/NJWFOBKN7i — Be A King (@BerniceKing) May 10, 2018

Waffle House said it is "reaching out to Ms. King so we can discuss her concerns."

Follow Sean Rossman on Twitter: @SeanRossman