Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Texas Tourists Arrested After Altercation With NYC Restaurant Hostess Over Proof Of Vaccination

Texas Tourists Arrested After Altercation With NYC Restaurant Hostess Over Proof Of Vaccination
NBC New York/YouTube

There have been many incidents of anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers resorting to violence when asked to abide by health guidelines for the safety of others when out in public.

This time, a video showing a violent altercation outside a popular Italian restaurant in New York's Upper West Side is being considered as possibly the first assault in direct response to the city's proof of vaccination mandate.



The city's "Key to NYC Pass" mandate initiated last Tuesday applies to both employees and customers.

The city's executive order requires patrons to show proof of at least one dose of the COVID vaccine to be allowed inside most indoor facilities, including restaurants, theaters and gyms.

The physical altercation happened on Thursday after a hostess working at Carmine's restaurant allegedly asked a group visiting from Texas to show proof of vaccination in order to dine inside the establishment.

Initial reports of the incident said the three female tourists involved assaulted the hostess and did not show their vaccination proof.

But new details emerged on Saturday.

According to the New York Times, the three women did in fact show their vaccination cards and were allowed inside.

The news outlet added the group was then joined by three men—one of whom showed proof of vaccination—and the fight broke out when the group left the restaurant, not when entering as previously reported.

Here is a clip of NBC's initial news report.

WARNING: violent assault

youtu.be

A lawyer for one of the women told the outlet the hostess used racial slurs, which led to the "mutual combat" situation.

However, the attorney representing Carmine's refuted the claims of the hostess acting violently and using any derogatory language.

Initial reports said the suspects repeatedly slapped and punched the unnamed hostess in the face and body and ripped off her necklace.

The hostess was taken to the hospital as a result of her injuries, according to police.

The two staff members who intervened to break up the altercation suffered minor injuries.

The three female assailants, whose ages are 21, 44 and 49, were taken into custody at NYPD's nearby 24th precinct station house, given a desk appearance ticket and released.

The three women are expected to appear in court at a scheduled date next month.

Based on early reactions to the incident, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer said there needed to be tougher penalties for such unruly conduct.

"Do not assault restaurant workers who are doing their job to keep us safe," she said.

"I can't believe this happened here. We have to increase the fines, if that's what it takes."

On Friday, many Twitter users gave a collective eye roll over the scuffle.




Customer Sophia Burnal of Albuquerque, New Mexico, told CBS Local:

"We think that's a great policy to protect the servers and the people who have to work and deal with that."
"I think it's great they require proof of vaccination and I think it's appalling they assaulted someone because they required proof."

Marcia Todd, who also happened to be dining with her family inside the restaurant when the fight broke out, told NBC New York:

"Businesses have a role and the citizens have a role so I think we all have to be responsible and play our part."

The Lone Star State continued to get a bad rap.



The New York City Hospitality Alliance issued a statement, which read in part:

"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."
"Our focus right now is caring for our employee and the rest of our restaurant family. We are a family-style restaurant, and this is the absolute last experience any of our employees should ever endure and any customers witness."

Carmine's owner Jeff Banks said of the hostess, who just started working there a few weeks ago:

"Our employee, thankfully, is safe right now. She's extremely shook up. Two other people had minor issues."

Banks said he has no other option than to pay for security to man the front entrance to the restaurant in order to keep his staff safe from similar assaults in the future.

More from Trending

Donald Trump
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Trump Blasted For Announcing New Additions To The White House Lawn As Global Tensions Escalate

President Donald Trump was criticized after announcing that two new flagpoles would be added to the North and South Lawns of the White House—not the greatest look amid heightened global unease as tensions between Israel and Iran ramp up.

According to the Associated Press, Trump watched as a crane installed the newest flagpole on the South Lawn, remarking, “It’s such a beautiful pole.” He later returned to the site to salute as the American flag was raised for the first time.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Donald Trump from CNN supercut
CNN

Trump Mocked For 'Two Weeks' Iran Deadline With Supercut Of All His 'Two Weeks' Promises

President Donald Trump has a history of promising to resolve problems within "two weeks," and a new viral supercut mocks him for all the times he's said as much—including right now with tensions in the Middle East higher than ever.

Trump said Thursday he will decide within two weeks whether to involve U.S. forces directly in the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, citing what he called a “substantial chance” for renewed nuclear negotiations with Tehran.

Keep ReadingShow less
Lynda Carter; Screenshot of Donald Trump
Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty Images; Newsmax

Lynda Carter Hilariously Channels Wonder Woman In Response To Trump's Claim About 'Undetectable' Planes

After President Donald Trump touted the U.S. military's "stealth" planes that he described as "undetectable," Wonder Woman star Lynda Carter responded to his claim with a funny quip sure to delight fans of her iconic character.

Earlier, Trump boasted about the military's capabilities in remarks to reporters in the Oval Office amid heightened concerns about the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict that is sending shockwaves throughout the Middle East and around the world:

Keep ReadingShow less
red flag with pole on seashore
Seoyeon Choi on Unsplash

People Break Down The 'Silent Red Flags' Folks Tend To Ignore In Relationships

A red flag has come to mean any warning sign in life, in addition to the literal red flags that are placed on beaches or industrial sites to warn people of danger.

People will respond to situations by saying, "That’s a red flag." But before that language evolved, they'd just call them "warning signs."

Keep ReadingShow less
Ted Cruz; Tucker Carlson
The Tucker Carlson Show

Tucker Carlson And Ted Cruz Get Into Shouting Match Over Iran In Bonkers Interview Clip

Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz—a harsh Donald Trump critic-turned-MAGA minion—sat down with fired Fox News personality Tucker Carlson for the conservative influencer's self-produced online content,The Tucker Carlson Show, for the Tucker Carlson Network.

On Tuesday, Carlson shared a 1.5-minute clip revealing that things got contentious when the pair touched on the Trump administration's escalating tensions with Iran.

Keep ReadingShow less