FINANCIAL DISTRICT — A man told he couldn't use the bathroom in a Financial District restaurant punched several workers before leaving and coming back to attack them with a wooden plank, police said.
Police said 22-year-old Christian Demont crashed over a counter at Flavors Cafe, a fast-casual salad spot, on Jan. 30 at 10 a.m., after he was told that only paying customers could use the restroom. A worker then tried to push him out of the 27 Whitehall St. store but he ran back in and punched the worker.
Another employee grabbed Demont, hoping to restrain him while waiting for police, but he began to complain that he couldn't breathe, so the worker let him go, according to a police report.
Demont then left the store again, this time coming back in with a 3-foot-long wooden plank, and began chasing workers around the store, before hitting two of the them in the back with the slab. Workers tried to restrain Demont again, as he continued to punch them in the face, police said.
Three of workers were taken to Lower Manhattan Hospital with swelling, pain and bruises. Demont was taken to Beth Israel Hospital for unspecified treatment.
Police arrested Demont on charges of assault, burglary and criminal possession of a weapon. A call to his lawyer was not immediately returned.
