Early this week, a large group of anti-vaxxers decided to stage a protest inside of a Cheesecake Factory where they sat throughout the restaurant and refused to follow COVID-19 regulations, resulting in several members of the group being arrested. According to reports from the NYPD, those six individuals were arrested after refusing to show the host their vaccination cards or mask up, as is required not just by the restaurant but the state as well, and then refused to leave when they were asked.

After almost an hour, an employee of the restaurant was forced to call authorities when the protestors still refused to leave. Although most of those involved were allowed to leave without repercussions, several were charged with criminal trespassing. Those who were arrested included six men aged 36 to 67 years old.

A video of the event was posted by one of those participating, whose username on instagram is “newyorkfreedomrally2”, and it depicts the full hour of their time in the restaurant. The video shows the large group of protestors, which included about 30 people, taking up space across the restaurant including at the bar.

4 people ended up being arrested after refusing to leave. The antivaxxer group called it segregation and discrimination.

In reality, they skipped paying customers waiting in line. Seems like a bad strategy. pic.twitter.com/pdBMTmvCSR

— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) December 15, 2021

One notable member of the group can be seen, named John Tobacco, who has been arrested for staging these protests in the past, but who was no arrested this time around. During the length of their disruption, none of the protestors were served, as per Cheesecake Factory policy. Some of those who were participating were as young as 10 years old.

The stricter COVID regulations that the Cheesecake Factory recently implemented came as a result of a new policy regarding how businesses should try to limit spread of the virus inside, especially during the winter months, which was passed by state Governor Kathy Hochul in collaboration with the state’s Department of Health. The heightened measures are prompted by rising numbers in New York, where almost 3,000 people are testing positive for COVID-19 weekly.

A group of 30 + antivaxxers claiming to be doing a “sit in” refused to check in at the host stand, skipped waiting customers, and sat themselves across multiple tables in a Cheesecake Factory in NYC.

They are now arguing with police. One antivaxxer compared the police to Nazis. pic.twitter.com/elFKOoTZ98

— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) December 15, 2021

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