Carmine's Hostess Attacked After Asking Tourists for Vaccination Proof to Dine Inside
Full article here: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/loca...nside/3277565/
A hostess at a well-known New York City restaurant was attacked just for asking to see a group's proof of COVID vaccination, a requirement to dine inside in the city.
Exclusive cellphone video obtained by NBC New York shows the Thursday evening attack outside Carmine's Restaurant on the Upper West Side. Around 5 p.m., tempers flared and the hostess stand is nearly tipped over in the mayhem, with a waiter at one point helping carry someone away from the scene.
The 22-year-old hostess asked the group of Texans to show proof of getting the COVID vaccine in order to dine in the restaurant, part of NYC's executive order that went into effect this week. Law enforcement sources said that the hostess was then repeatedly punched in the face and body, and sent to the hospital.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Carmine's said in part that "it's a shocking and tragic situation when one of our valued employees is assaulted for doing their job — as required by city policies — and trying to make a living."
The Hospitality Alliance is calling on the city and the state to increase penalties for assaulting restaurant workers who are trying to enforce the new COVID rules.
Police said three people are now facing charges.
And.. of course you new this was coming...the perpetrators of the attack now claim the hostess used the "N" word.
Updated report found here: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/loca...proof/3280589/
Attorneys for Carmine's and for three women from Texas who are facing charges in connection with the melee last Thursday told the New York Times that the women had provided documentation of COVID-19 vaccinations but that the altercation escalated after two men who joined the party didn't have proof.
The restaurant hostess, who is white, seen being attacked in a video shot by an onlooker suggested the vaccination cards were fake, spoke condescendingly to the group, who are Black, and used a racial slur, an attorney for the women told the Times.
Carolyn Richmond, an attorney representing Carmine's, denied the claim, writing in an email to The Times that “nothing about this incident suggests race was an issue.”
Surveillance footage reviewed by The Times showed the three women being ushered inside the restaurant after showing documentation outside. It showed three men showing up several minutes later but only one showing a vaccination card. The fight broke out shortly after.
According to police, the three women punched the hostess repeatedly and broke her necklace, leaving the 24-year-old bruised and scratched. She was taken to a hospital and later released.
and of course BLM is planning a protest outside the restaurant.
So, I was actually in NYC this weekend and a few blocks away from the incident when it happened. The new Vaccination proof requirement went into effect recently, and we were asked at each restaurant/bar for proof and ID (to make sure the Vax card was ours). They also have an app for NY residents to upload your vax status. The process was enforced equally on everyone, everywhere we went. It kind of became routine after a while (which is kind of scary when you think about it from a Civil Liberties standpoint.
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