Three women who allegedly attacked a hostess at Carmine’s Italian Restaurant in New York City over proof of vaccination this week were arrested and charged with assault and criminal mischief following the incident.
In security footage of the confrontation, one of the women is seen walking out of the restaurant and getting in the face of the hostess. Another employee appears to pull the hostess away from the hostile customer as two other women join in the conflict. The incident turns physical with the hostess appearing to be caught in a tug-of-war between restaurant employees and the disgruntled customers.
Several men, including both apparent customers and employees, attempt to break up the fight. One of the men physically lifts the first woman up and carries her away from the scene. The other women eventually follow the first and leave the hostess stand.
“Three women brutally attacked our hosts without provocation, got arrested and charged for their misconduct, and then, over the last several days, had their lawyer falsely and grossly misrepresent their acts of wanton violence in a cynical attempt to try to excuse the inexcusable,” Carmine’s owner Jeffrey Bank claimed in a statement, WABC reported.
According to Fox News, the three women – all of whom are black — were tourists from Texas and are now demanding the charges be dropped, alleging the hostess made racist comments and started the fight.
“It is unfortunate that Carmine’s and their hostess were able to lie to the police to avoid being held accountable for this hostess’ racism,” the group’s attorney Justin Moore said. “She physically and verbally provoked confrontation, and then played the victim to criminalize these three Black women.”
Moore told Fox News the security footage released by Carmine’s was “selectively edited” to make the Texas tourists appear at fault.
“Last night, Carmine’s NYC released carefully and selectively edited footage from the incident that occurred last Thursday between three women from Texas and a Carmine’s hostess. What was originally reported as these three women fighting over not having proof of vaccine has morphed, by Carmine’s design, into a random fight that had no provocation from their employee in question,” Moore said in the statement.
“We have seen Carmine’s narrative change drastically since their hostess lied to police and the media last Thursday to now. In response to being exposed as lying to the police and to the media, they have retained a crisis management firm to prevent addressing the fact of their racist behavior, they have avoided holding themselves accountable for their treatment of black customers and instead they have endeavored to launch personal attacks against attorneys and community members who have only asked them for transparency.”
The Texas women have also received support from Black Lives Matter (BLM) Greater New York, which asserts Democrat Mayor Bill de Blasio’s vaccine requirement is aimed at black people.
“I believe that this New York City vaccine passport will be used to keep Black people out of spaces, and if we don’t stop it now then the police will use it as an excuse to harass and arrest our people,” a group spokesman told Fox News in a statement.
The group called for the charges against the women to be dropped and staged a protest outside the restaurant on Monday night.
Independent journalist Andy Ngo shared video on the protest on Twitter, writing, “BLM protests Carmine’s restaurant in Manhattan after three black women assaulted an Asian hostess & were arrested. The restaurant says they asked for vaccine verification per city law but the women say they were racially profiled.”
“’Carmines are racist! Carmines are fascist!’ BLM protesters demonstrate at @CarminesNYC after they say three black Texas women were racially profiled over vaccination verification,” Ngo continued in a separate tweet quoting the protesters. “It led to the hostess being assaulted. Video by @LeeroyPress.”
