January 17, 2022 – Manhattan, NY: Anti-mandate protesters hold separate simultaneous sit-in’s at Times Square restaurants. One particular anti-mandate group held their sit-in at a Shake Shack Fast Food Restaurant near Times Square to protest against medical segregation on MLK day, said protesters.
The group bypassed the establishments security and found a table to sit and have their food. The restaurant security argued with the group and managers called police to deescalate.
Two NYPD officers arrived at the Shake Shack and spoke with the anti-mandate group, officers told the protesters they weren’t there to arrest or kick out the group. Officers just wanted to make sure the peace was being kept.
Police quickly left the restaurant without incident. Activists then made a speech to patrons and staff inside the establishment.
Nearby at a Bubba Gump Shrimp Restaurant in Times Square a separate group of anti-mandate protesters was also having a sit-in and at least 12 arrests were made.
We spoke with the groups lawyer, Gustavo Medina III, outside of the Times Square restaurant.
“I’m from the law offices of Gustavo Medina PC. My father is the head attorney there. Our clients were arrested because they wanted to sit down and eat and they did not want to show proof of their medical records, and because they chose not to show them proof, they were asked to leave and at that point they were arrested for criminal trespassing.”
Gustavo went on to tell us “My clients did not wanna take the “Run Forrest, Run!” approach. They wanted to sit down and hold the line.”
Just last week, anti-mandate protesters occupied the Olive Garden in Times Square for nearly 2 hours Friday evening.
The group expressed opposite viewpoints with some patrons eating dinner and argued law definitions with NYPD officers at the Times Square establishment.
Chants of “USA” and also the singing of the National Anthem was apart of the demonstration. The group also recited an oath of enlistment.
After a couple of hours, the business decided to stop operations for the night and close the restaurant.
Some people refused to leave and were arrested.
Video by Oliya Scootercaster and Ken Lopez (FNTV freedomnews.tv)
I feel for them. I was once told that I couldn’t eat in a restaurant if I didn’t put on a shirt or wear shoes. It was pure tyranny.