Governor Andy Beshear has weighed in on an alleged social media threat made against the Christian County Health Department director after a Hopkinsville restaurant saw its food service suspended for violating the state’s latest executive order that banned indoor dining.
The complaint stems from the health department issuing the Village Restaurant an enforcement order that suspended their food license Friday.
When Governor Andy Beshear announced the latest COVID-19 restrictions last month that closed indoor dining at restaurants and bars, the guidelines said tent seating outdoors would be allowed with certain guidelines.
In a Facebook post Friday, restaurant owner Chris Martinez said the health department cited the business for not having its tent open on each end to meet the 50-percent requirement for open space. He said the state’s guidance did not specify the 50-percent restriction for the tent opening. However, the state’s Healthy at Work guidance dated October 30 does mention the 50-percent requirement.
Martinez has stated he will continue the tent service as long as the community continues to support the business. His post had several comments of support. Martinez is one of several restaurant owners statewide ignoring the state’s order to close to indoor dining through Sunday to avoid becoming an economic casualty to the coronavirus. The Kentucky Restaurant Association has estimated 20-percent of the state’s restaurants will close due to a combination of the virus or Beshear’s executive orders that have limited dining capacity.
Hopkinsville Police were notified Monday afternoon by Health Department Director Kayla Bebout that one of the comments on the restaurant’s Facebook post threatened her with serious physical injury or death, which meets the elements of Third-Degree Terroristic Threatening, a Class A misdemeanor.
The Hopkinsville Police Department report, completed by Officer Joseph Bufford, was heavily redacted and did not release suspect information or the wording that was included in the alleged threat.
When asked about the threat Tuesday afternoon, the governor said there is no place for threatening behavior no matter a person’s opinion about the coronavirus and the steps taken to mitigate the spread.
click to download audioBeshear further condemned the act saying it doesn’t fall under the protection of free speech.
click to download audioThe Village Restaurant has remained open this week, advertising its lunch offerings on Facebook on both Monday and Tuesday.
