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Two North End restaurant owners and a Boston cop try to get in on multi-million-dollar lawsuit against city over rescinded vaccination requirements

The owner of Antico Forno and Terramia, the owner of Vinoteca di Monica and a Boston police officer are seeking to join a lawsuit against Boston against the requirement for people to show proof of vaccination for most public indoor spaces that was lifted in February.

A federal judge will now have to decide whether to allow restaurant owners Carla Gomes and Jorge Mendoza and BPD officer Saviel Colon to join the suit in US District Court. If allowed, this would be the second time the suit, whose lead plaintiff is Shana Cottone, a BPD sergeant who has led loud early morning protests outside Mayor Wu's house, is amended.

The first time, the suit was amended to reflect the fact that the vaccination-proof requirement was rescinded hours after they brought their suit - and to demand $6 million in recompense apiece for the alleged harm done to them by a supposedly run-amok Boston Public Health Commission, some in violation of their alleged religious or medical reasons to avoid shots, some for the money they allegedly lost because their customers refused to come into Boston.

In the latest version of the suit, filed yesterday, Gomes says the vaccination-proof requirement lost her business, and not just from people she claims she turned away for not having proof of vaccination.

Because of the order customers of Plaintiff Gomes' restaurants refused to even go to her restaurants and show proof of vaccination, although they had been vaccinated.

Gomes received $722,941 in federal Paycheck Protection Program funds.

Mendoza says he was severely put out financially because he had to assign one employee to check vaccination cards and that some of his other workers couldn't even come in because they refused to get shots.

He received $360,748 in PPP funds.

Colon alleges he was put on unpaid leave because he's refused shots due to unspecified religious reasons, and that he was "unable to go to restaurants, museums and zoos with his family."

In addition to seeking $6 million each, the now 19 plaintiffs want a judge to rule that anti-pandemic measures by the BPHC and boards of health in Massachusetts are unconstitutional.

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PDF icon Proposed amended complaint511.42 KB


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Comments

Now I know which ones to avoid.

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If you really want to get back at them. Make a reservation on a busy night and just have water and breadsticks for an hour looking at the menu. Maybe a garden salad even...

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and serve as the District 1 city councillor after his write-in campaign today?

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Based on tonight's results.

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their food is pretty good, but now i won't go back there.

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At some point the North End residents are going to their collective feet down on this posse of wantrepreneurs and help them get over their grievance-fueled hate and anger at Michelle Wu winning an election. Having a guy who sells $15 subs to tourists represent their neighborhood in this way does absolutely nothing for them, in fact one would say that it hinders both their quality of life and reputation. If anyone has grounds for a lawsuit, it's the residents of the North End.

As for rookie cops unable to quit a job they obviously aren't cut out for, I don't have much else to say other than to wish them the best of luck with the notoriety that will follow them throughout their professional life, regardless of how many zoos they claim to be unable to visit.

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I misread this page, which states he was a BPD cop on July 15, 2020, but that's the date the page was initially published, not the date he was hired. I've removed that in the main story.

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I have been to one of these restaurants several times and enjoyed it, but would prefer not to patronize businesses that act against the common good for greed alone. Thanks for declaring yourself so publicly, Mr. Mendoza.

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Probably one of my favorite spots for great food, but I can't conscientiously return after knowing this.

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Because of the order customers of Plaintiff Gomes' restaurants refused to even go to her restaurants and show proof of vaccination, although they had been vaccinated.

I suspect she will lose even more business for being such a whiny loser. This kind of thing is strong evidence that the plaintiff restaurateurs are not actually very good at running their core business.

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Does that mean his family went to the zoo without him?

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