A Queens holiday had more than 300 patrons who “drank alcohol, sang karaoke and danced.” The congregations were unmasked, according to the sheriff.
The party, held in a lounge, allegedly functioned as a speakeasy, with an emergency exit that “required an employee to open it from the inside,” according to the sheriff’s office.
The party’s alleged organizer, Man Phan, told CNN that he was unaware of the rules against gathering in large groups before the event. He said the party was for friends only and no one was paying for alcohol or admission.
“There shouldn’t have been so many people,” Phan said, adding that he believes the actual number of partygoers is much smaller than the 300 the sheriff’s office is approaching. “Things got out of hand. We didn’t mean that, but that’s what happened.”
Phan received violations for an unlicensed glass club, violating executive and emergency orders and obstructing exit, among other things. His wife, a DJ and an employee were charged with violations, while the salon was fined $ 15,000 for failing to protect its health and safety.
Deputies who attacked a party in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood found 145 people also with many unmasking and dancing, while a gathering of 80 Brooklyn men threw music through an open door, according to the sheriff.
The office shared a photo of the SoHo party, showing boxes of Moet champagne and Patron tequila, along with bottles of Bombay Sapphire and Ketel One vodka. Organizers were charged $ 1,000 each for violating orders against mass rallies, while the promoter was charged with violating orders and breaches of alcohol and fined $ 15,000 for failing to protect health and safety, according to the sheriff’s office.
The organizers of all three events were violated for failing to protect health and safety and violating state and city orders against non-essential assemblies, among other charges. It appears that no party member has been charged.
Party organizers in Manhattan and Brooklyn could not be contacted immediately by CNN.