Three Houston women were charged after authorities said they assaulted a New York City hostess after being asked to show proof of vaccination from COVID-19 to eat inside a restaurant.
The video shows the fight involving the three women at Carmine’s Restaurant in Manhattan’s Upper West Side on Thursday (September 16). On Monday (September 13), the city enforced a vaccine mandate for individuals to dine inside establishments as various variants increase COVID cases across the country.
The three Houston women, identified as 49-year-old Sally Lewis, 44-year-old Kaeita Rankin and Rankin’s 21-year-old daughter Tyonnie didn’t want to eat outside. Cellphone video shows the fight occurring outside the restaurant. In the clip shared on social media, the women can be seen charging at the hostess and other group members. Restaurant staff jumped in to break up the fight.
The 22-year-old victim had only worked for Carmine’s for three weeks and asked the women for vaccination proof and then ID cards to match their vaccine cards. After questioning the legitimacy of their vaccination cards, the three Houston women got upset and lunged at her, punching the 22-year-old victim and injuring two other Carmine’s staff members.
“She was very intimidated, crying, all that,” Carmine’s Chef Alejandro Delgado said.
Paramdeics took the hostess to the hospital for her injuries.
Lewis, Kaetia Rankin and Tyonnie Rankin were arrested and charged with assault and criminal mischief.
New York City announced their indoor vaccine mandate would go into effect in August, making it the first major city in the U.S. to require proof of vaccination to eat or drink inside bars and restaurants. The requirement applies to individuals 12 and older and refers to nearly any activity indoors, such as gyms, bowling alleys, movie theaters, concert venues and more. New York has announced acceptable forms of vaccination proof are the following:
- The NYC COVID safe app.
- The state’s Excelsior Pass.
- A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination card (or photo of the card saved on any person’s phone).
- An NYC Vaccination Record.
- An official immunization record for tourists who come to the city.
Businesses who don’t comply with the record will be fined.
