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Carmine's Hostess Assaulted By Texas Women After Asking For Proof Of Vaccination
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Sep 17, 2021
Modified Sep 20, 2021
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PAUL QUITORIANO/GOTHAMIST
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Sep 17, 2021
Modified Sep 20, 2021
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Three women from Texas were arrested on Thursday for attacking an Upper West Side hostess after she asked them to show proof of vaccination, police said. [Update, September 20: The women say they presented vaccination proof—and a spokesperson for Carmine's confirmed they did—and claim the hostess used a slur against them.]
The fight broke out at Carmine's Italian Restaurant shortly before 5 p.m. Following a "verbal dispute over vaccine cards," police said, the trio of women punched the 24-year-old hostess, causing a scene outside the family-style red sauce joint.
The incident comes just days after the city began enforcing an executive order that requires restaurants to check proof of COVID-19 vaccinations before customers can dine indoors. It's believed to be the first physical assault on a restaurant worker over the new guidance, according to Andrew Rigie, the executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance.
All three women — Kaeita Nkeenge Rankin, 44; Tyonnie Keshay Rankin, 21; and Sally Rechelle Lewis, 49 — were charged with misdemeanor assault and criminal mischief. The hostess suffered lacerations to her face, jaw, and back, police said. NBC New York has footage of the incident:
“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," a spokesperson for Carmine's said in a statement.
Reaction to the new vaccine mandate has been split among those in the restaurant industry. Some have argued that it alleviates the burden on establishments that were voluntarily requiring proof of vaccination. But others worried that smaller restaurants were not equipped to enforce the restriction.
In the wake of the attack, the NYC Hospitality Alliance, which has embraced the mandate, called on the city strengthen penalties for assaulting a restaurant worker. The group is also asking Mayor Bill de Blasio to increase public outreach around his "Key to NYC" vaccine mandate, particularly among visitors who may be unfamiliar with the guidance.
The alleged attackers are due back in court on October 5th.
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vaccination
pandemic
carmine's
Upper West Side
manhattan
vaccine mandate
Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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