Norfolk, VA: A once fast-growing patriotic brewery that garnered widespread attention for its military-themed beer and strong support for the veterans and law enforcement community has just gone on the attack and filed a massive $50 million lawsuit against what appears to be multiple left-leaning individuals and organizations in and around the Norfolk, Virginia area.
Since 2019, the Armed Forces Brewing Company has quickly grown into a leading patriotic, military-themed beer brand aimed at supporting the veteran and law enforcement community and related nonprofit organizations.
But the lawsuit they just filed states they were maliciously targeted by what appears to be left-leaning individuals and organizations to destroy their business.
“The lawsuit alleges that multiple defendants, including local activists, social-media operators, and affiliated individuals, engaged in a prolonged effort to economically isolate AFBC by targeting its vendors, customers, charitable partnerships, sponsors, food truck operators, distributors, investors, employees, event operators, and business relationships through false statements, organized pressure campaigns, fabricated media narratives, and anonymous online amplification attacks,” the lawsuit wrote.
The exact motives for these organizations to attack AFBC remain unclear.
However, during the period following the George Floyd incident in 2020, AFBC remained staunch supporters of the law enforcement community despite the anti-police political and social climate spreading across the country.
AFBC once developed a limited-time only release of an LEO-themed beer and has taken great lengths to support the law enforcement community in general, especially in the Norfolk area.
“On October 25, 2024, [the defendant with CFABN] defamed, disparaged, and harassed AFBC after AFBC and its ‘Feed The Front Line’ partners delivered over 1,200 Mission BBQ lunch boxes to Norfolk Police Department personnel, Norfolk Sheriff's Department personnel, Norfolk Fire Department personnel, and to homeless citizens at a Salvation Army parking lot,” the lawsuit wrote.
Soon after the event, the Norfolk Police and Sheriff’s Department posted “Thank You” messages to AFBC on their Twitter pages, but soon removed the posts, which was considered “a proximate cause of the Defendant’s harassment”.
Because of the actions taken against them in recent years, AFBC has decided to fight back.
The Complaint
The lawsuit alleges the defendants urged and pressured third parties to cease their partnerships with AFBC while making false accusations regarding the company’s leadership, finances, ethics, and operations.
The complaint compiled a list of allegations, to include:
• Coordinated anonymous and pseudonymous online attacks across Reddit, X, BlueSky, Facebook, and other platforms;
• Interference with multiple charitable partnerships, including 2 campaigns;
• Unlawful intimidation campaigns targeting AFBC community partners, vendors, and their public-safety goodwill efforts
• False accusations of criminal conduct and “stolen valor” directed at AFBC’s CEO;
• AI-generated and manipulated media allegedly designed to damage AFBC’s reputation and business relationships;
• Publication and amplification of fabricated bankruptcy-related content despite AFBC never having filed bankruptcy, among others.
The most troubling allegation involves “taking out a CEO”, referencing the Luigi Mangione incident. The complaint alleges one of the listed defendants took to social media and posted that AFBC CEO Alan Beal should be “Luigi’d”.
AFBC alleges that the accumulated effects of the defendants' direct and coordinated volatile actions severely and negatively impacted the company’s revenues, investor relations, partnerships, reputation, and so on.
“This lawsuit is about coordinated and intentional economic destruction — not free speech,” said CEO Alan Beal. “The defendants didn’t merely criticize our company, they admittedly conspired and worked together to pressure our customers, vendors, sponsors, charitable partners, event operators, and business associates to sever ties with our company. They continuously spread false and defamatory narratives designed to damage our reputation and destroy our business.”
According to the complaint, AFBC’s attempt to feed servicemembers and their families during a philanthropic event was interfered with by the defendants.
“That goes far beyond political disagreement or online criticism. Who sabotages anyone’s efforts to help our military families and veterans? Who does that?” Beal said.
Our Take
For too many years, far-left-leaning individuals and organizations have virtually “had their way” with harassing well-meaning, good-intentioned organizations simply for their beliefs and actions.
It is time we fight back, stand our ground, and push against this dangerous and irresponsible liberal rhetoric.
We are glad to see the Armed Forces Brewing Company do exactly that!
We stand behind and support them and hope to see those liberal agitators held responsible for their actions.
That’s the true American way!
To learn more about Armed Forces Brewing Company, go to https://armedforcesbrewingco.com/
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Writer and author Eddie Molina has over 25 years of combined LEO and military service. Learn more about his interview articles at www.eddiemolina.com
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