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NYC Restaurant Owners Sound Off On Vaccine Mandate

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Restaurant owners are pushing back against the city's mandate that requires eateries to ask for proof of COVID-19 vaccination for indoor dining.

Some said they are concerned and that their employees are not safe.

This follows the assault on a restaurant worker last week, in which police say three women from Texas attacked the hostess of Carmine's Restaurant on the Upper West Side when they were asked for proof of vaccination.

COVID VACCINE

On Sunday, business owners gathered in Brooklyn to speak out against the mandate.

"I'm speaking to you, Mr. Mayor. Let the business owners operate so they can pay their taxes. We got 20-30 workers and pretty soon they're gonna be out of a job," owner John Rodriguez said.

"This is not only a liability to them, because if anybody gets hurt inside the restaurant, they'll be held liable for that. So, you're putting them in double jeopardy. You're shutting them down. You're causing them to fire people. This is not helping. We're saying to the city of New York stop sending mixed messages," community advocate Tony Herbert added.

Last month, a lawsuit was filed against Mayor Bill de Blasio and the city to stop the vaccine mandate.

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