NEW YORK – A hostess at a well-known New York City restaurant was attacked just for asking to see proof of a group’s COVID-19 vaccination, a requirement for in-city dining.
Exclusive cell phone video obtained by our sister network NBC New York shows Thursday night’s attack outside Carmine’s restaurant on the Upper West Side around 5 p.m., tempers flared and the worker’s position nearly flips amid the chaos, with one waiter at a time helping to get someone off the scene.
The 22-year-old host asked the group of Texans to show proof of having received the COVID vaccine so she could dine at the restaurant, part of the New York City executive order that took effect this week. Police sources said that the hostess was later beaten repeatedly in the face and body and sent to hospital.
In a statement, a Carmine’s spokesperson said in part that “it is a shocking and tragic situation when one of our valued employees is assaulted for doing his job, as required by city policies, and trying to make a living.”
Hospitality Alliance is calling on the city and state to increase penalties for assaulting restaurant workers trying to enforce the new COVID rules.
Police said three people are now facing charges.
– .
