Woman Arrested in Viral San Francisco Restaurant Altercation Won’t Face Charges By Ashley Vega

The woman at the center of a viral confrontation outside a San Francisco restaurant reportedly won’t face charges, despite the incident sparking widespread outrage online.

The altercation, which unfolded at Hazie’s in Hayes Valley in December, led to an arrest, job fallout and lingering questions about what happens after a chaotic moment becomes internet spectacle.

The incident happened Saturday, Dec. 13, when a customer later identified as Shireen Afkari began arguing with restaurant staff while filming with her phone, according to earlier reporting.

The confrontation escalated outside the restaurant and also involved her apparent boyfriend.

Now, however, officials say the case is not expected to move forward in court. According to SFGATE, the San Francisco Police Department confirmed that public intoxication was the only arrest charge and that the matter was not referred for prosecution.

A spokesperson for the department explained that cases involving only public intoxication typically aren’t sent to the district attorney for review. “For arrests with the singular charge of public intoxication there is no protocol to refer these cases to the District Attorney,” police spokesperson Allison Maxie said, per SFGATE, adding, “The subject was arrested solely for public intoxication.”

Afkari was later fired from her job at Strava, which publicly addressed the incident in a statement shared in mid-December. “We don’t condone violence of any kind and this does not reflect the standards we expect of our team,” the company said, adding it had “made the decision to end the individual’s employment.”

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But the consequences weren’t limited to the customer at the center of the video. Hazie’s also fired bartender Miguel Marchese, who was involved in the confrontation, after the restaurant’s owner allegedly told him he was an insurance liability for tripping the woman, according to SFGATE.

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Marchese told the outlet he was asked to sign a severance agreement that would have paid him $5,000, but he declined.

PEOPLE has reached out to the San Francisco Police Department for additional comment.