An NYC restaurant hostess has been assaulted by three men from Texas after she demanded proof of COVID-19 vaccination. The hostess asked to see vaccination proofs before the diners could be seated indoors for their patronage. The three men aged 21, 44, and 49 have been arrested and detained by the NYPD.
According to a video clip taken on a smartphone, the incident happened on Thursday at Carmine’s Italian restaurant on the Upper West Side. The diners descended on the hostess at around 5 pm and it took the intervention of passersby and other diners to break up the fight. The New York City Fire Department said one employee was injured in the melee and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital for treatment.
The hostess was also allegedly punched several times and her necklace was damaged. Carmine’s disclosed that it was 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 Manhattan borough president, Gale Brewer, noted that the attack on the restaurant hostess was “completely unacceptable” and that such violence should never be visited on “our essential workers.”
Last month, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio said businesses within the city must require vaccination proofs before customers are allowed into indoor spaces. These businesses include gyms, entertainment, and hospitality centers among others. Any business that does not do this is liable to a $1,000 fine.
Blasio said “not everyone’s going to agree with this,” but businesses in the city must do their part to ensure that the rising wave of new COVID-19 transmissions in the country is stemmed and curtailed. New York City is the first major US city to require proof of vaccinations before customers are admitted into indoor business venues. But many city residents welcome the idea as helpful to a public cause.
