The co-founder of popular restaurant chain Rashays has been arrested after staff were seen working without masks amid the Greater Sydney Covid lockdown.
As per 7News, Rami Ykmour was arrested on Thursday afternoon after police received a tip-off that staff at the Chester Hill head office were not wearing masks as required.
When police arrived at the office, two workers were not wearing face masks.
During the dramatic arrest, Ykmour was seen arguing with officers as at least eight officers escort him into a police van.
“Who’s gonna pay us for all this labour?” he was heard saying.
“Who’s gonna pay us for all these losses? Go and try and keep this business alive, mate.”
Ykmour was later issued with a Field Court Attendance Notice for hindering police and is due to appear before Parramatta Local Court in August, while two Rashays staff members were fined $200 each for failing to wear a mask.
Love Food & Drink?
Get the latest Food & Drink news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
Rashays has over 30 restaurants across the east coast of Australia.
The arrest comes following the news that 21 of the 38 new Covid cases recorded in Sydney on Thursday were in the city’s South West, with 100 police officers now patrolling areas of South West Sydney in a high-visibility compliance operation.
Meanwhile, the arrest of Rashays co-founder Rami Ykmour has sparked outrage on social media with many pointing out that Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs – namely Bondi – failed to receive the same treatment as those living in South West Sydney, where there is a higher population of immigrants.
https://twitter.com/divina_blanca/status/1413244134513512449
Jfc. Could you try any harder to lose Western Sydney? Everyone saw what happened at Rashays – mass police response & immediate enforcement of fines & arrests against workers who were complying & only removed their masks to eat – as allowed. Their hot food was right there pic.twitter.com/BzqOacsBE0
— StonefishHugger (@mnxmoosi) July 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/shayne_chester/status/1413299579160645632
One Twitter user said of the controversial arrest: “The disproportionate response to an allegation at the Rashays office last night – 8 officers arresting 1 non-violent businessman, compared to the lax attitude at Bondi Beach & Eastern Suburbs highlights the gold standard of NSW LNP mismanagement.”
Another added: “This is so wrong. No one refused to comply. Staff are allowed to take their masks off to eat. NSW Police spent ages trying to reason with that business Bowral even though they were flat out refusing to ever follow the rules. Rashays were doing the right thing & cop this shit.”
The drama was live-streamed on Facebook Live, which you can watch here.
