This week, a large inflatable rat, known as Scabby, was damaged outside the posh Babo restaurant in Manhattan. Repairs are underway, but it turns out the damage was worse than initially thought.
A protest organized by the union Unite Here Local 25 at Babo’s grand reopening on Monday led to the rat being slashed. On Thursday, they purchased a patch from a local hardware store for an 8-inch gash on Scabby’s right thigh, reportedly made by someone wielding a knife.
Union members transported the rat back to their headquarters in Washington, D.C., for further inspection, where they discovered an additional cut, larger than the first, on the same leg.
“It’s close to the first one, but bigger—around 10 inches,” Benji Cannon, the union president, shared. “We can’t definitively say it happened the same night… but given how soon it was after the initial damage, we only noticed it now.”
By late Thursday, the rat, which cost the union $7,000, had inflated to an impressive 12 feet. However, there were uncertainties about whether it could maintain its form.
According to Mike Haak, the union organizer, chaos ensued when a man, suspected to be an employee of Babbo, stabbed Scabby with a paring knife amid an argument. Haak recounted hearing a “whooshing” sound before they realized what had happened and called 911. The police quickly responded with about ten officers arriving at the scene.
The police and Haak investigated the restaurant filled with surprised diners, but they couldn’t find the assailant. Although they searched the dining area extensively, they decided against checking the kitchen.
The NYPD hasn’t provided any updates on the investigation. Meanwhile, the restaurant group managing Babbo has not commented on the situation.
Looking ahead, Local 25 plans to return with Scabby to Babo on November 18. There, they intend to have support for the rat to engage with patrons and bystanders.
“We’re discussing ways to enhance security to protect Scabby and everyone involved,” Cannon noted. “We will do whatever it takes to ensure Scabby’s safety.”
Cannon affirmed that, despite the recent incident, the union’s advocacy for restaurant workers will persist, indicating that their struggle against both Babbo’s owner, Steven Starr, and Scabby’s attack is far from finished.
The union has been working on organizing efforts at several of Starr’s restaurants in Washington, D.C., bringing their campaign to New York City during Babbo’s reopening night.
Starr, who recently took ownership of Babbo, aims to restore the restaurant’s former luster without drama, following its closure nearly seven years ago due to sexual misconduct allegations against founder Mario Batali.
The boycott against Babbo is an extension of ongoing protests against Starr’s D.C. establishments, which the union accuses of attempting to undermine union organization efforts.
