A judge in Manhattan has mandated that the famous Greenwich Village restaurant Babbo provide video footage that may help identify the individual who stabbed the pro-union inflatable, Scabby the Rat, last year.
Local 25 alleges that an employee of Babbo attacked the giant rat during the restaurant’s grand opening on October 27. They claim the surveillance video is crucial for substantiating their accusations.
A ruling from the Manhattan Supreme Court on June 30 instructed the restaurant to submit the tapes, along with a variety of additional information, to the union.
This requested information includes the names of guests who were present that night, potential staff members, and any texts or emails exchanged among employees regarding the incident.
As of now, Local 25 has not formally sued Babbo, although that might change depending on what the video reveals.
“It shows the court is taking this matter very seriously,” remarked union representative Mike Haak about the court’s recent decision.
On the evening of the incident, Haak called 911, and soon after, multiple police cars arrived at Babbo. Up to ten officers entered the restaurant in search of a man allegedly wielding a “small paring knife,” Haak previously reported.
Haak brought the inflatable rat to Babbo to protest the labor practices associated with the owner, Stephen Starr, who also owns Buddakan and Pastis.
When Scabby was attacked, Haak had turned his back only to hear a hissing sound, glancing back to see a man in a dark suit resembling the restaurant’s staff uniforms exiting the establishment.
“I turned around, and he was walking with a knife, a small paring knife,” Haak recalled. “Then the man with the knife came right back into the restaurant.”
Scabby then emitted a hissing noise from an 8-inch gash in his thigh.
Despite police efforts, the suspect remained elusive, and Babbo informed officers that they would need a subpoena to access the surveillance footage.
Scabby was valued at approximately $7,000 and has since been repaired following the incident.
“We’re using this big balloon rat to enforce our First Amendment rights,” Haak stated.
Starr mentioned that there are 25 local hospitality workers in the Washington, D.C. area whose restaurants are targeted for unionization.
Star Restaurants and their general counsel did not respond to inquiries for comment.
