Bel Fries in the Lower East Side became the victim of violence after customers became enraged over paying for extra sauce. Marc Santia reports.
A late-night Lower East Side eatery has been closed for days after a wild tirade took place over the July 4th holiday weekend — all because of condiments.
Employees at Bel Fries on Ludlow Street were left traumatized after the chaos broke out Sunday morning shortly after 4 a.m., a wild fray that caused extensive damage.
The restaurant's co-owner said that he has six employees, but no one wants to come back to work because they’re traumatized and scared for their lives, he said, as they deal with physical and emotional wounds.
"They’re devastated. They’re afraid. One of them still doesn’t want to leave her home. She has a son. She fears for her life," said the co-owner, who did not want to share his name or show his face.
The chaos inside Bel Fries started when a number of customers became enraged and violent. The reason? They were told there’s a $1.25 charge for extra dipping sauce for their French fries, according to the restaurant's co-owner.
“They wanted extra sauce but didn’t want to pay for it," he said. "The extra sauce is actually a buck twenty-five, buck seventy-five and it started from there, the minute they told them, 'Hey you have to leave!' Once they told them they had to leave they jumped on them.”
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The co-owner described to News 4 New York the extensive damage his restaurant sustained: “20-30 bottles broken, thrown at my employees, computers broken, the store was a disaster. Everything was a mess.”
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In a now-viral video, a woman throws what looks like a can at the employees then others climb over the counter. Others whip bottles of sauce at employees, while a stool gets thrown.
The group also ripped down the pandemic plastic barrier bolted to the counter, but it didn't end there. They continued to throw metal objects and destroy computers, while two women were seen at different times twerking on the restaurant's counter.
As the group laughs and claps, the restaurant is torn apart while another group watches, recording on their phones. Exclusive new video shows employees behind the counter trying to take cover during the attack.
Following the chaos, three women — 25-year-old Chitara Plasencia,23-year-old Tatiyanna Johnson and 27-year-old Pearl Ozoria — were arrested. All are facing multiple charges including assault, and are set to face a judge Friday.
Attorney information for them wasn't immediately available.
The owner of the small business said the restaurant opened right before the pandemic, endured COVID, and was just getting back on its feet when the incident happened. He rushed to the store and visited his injured employees in the hospital. Now he wonders: Is it worth it to stay in the city?
“I’m thinking again is it worth it? Is it worth doing anything in New York City anymore?" he said.
