September 12, 2020
A GoFundMe account has been circulating throughout the San Diego hospitality community to raise funds for a Pacific Beach bar manager who was violently attacked over Labor Day weekend after asking customers to put on a face mask as required by health order.
710 Beach Club bar manager Tony Aversa was viciously assaulted on Saturday, September 5, after insisting that a patron wear a facial covering. After a group arrived and asked to be seated, security asked them to put on face masks. One of the man asked to speak with the manager and engaged in a conversation with Aversa. The interaction escalated quickly with the customer pushing a bartender. As the interaction continued, another male member of the group rushed in and attacked, resulting in Aversa having a broken nose and sinus cavity, requiring surgery next week.
"Watching the videos, it was actually kind of scary, because it could have been a lot worse," commented 710 Beach Club bar manager Tony Aversa. "I kind of blacked out for a second. Kind of spun around told my other coworker next to me to call the cops immediately because I knew, I felt my nose was broken. I immediately started gushing blood all over the pavement. He claimed our security guard had been rude, and I said, 'I’d be happy to talk to you about it, I just need you to put a mask on, you’re literally within inches of my face'. If he just thinks he can get away with it, what’s to stop him from doing it again?"
Aversa's mother has launched a GoFundMe campaign in hopes of getting funds to assist with mounting expenses. Aversa has also filed a police report in hopes that an arrest is made and the assailant is brought to justice.
As of May 1, San Diego County requires people to wear face coverings in most public settings. In general, people must wear face coverings anywhere they will come within six feet of others. This includes waiting in line to go inside a store, shopping in a store, picking up food at a restaurant, dining at a restaurant except when seated and actively consuming food or drink, waiting for or riding on public transportation, riding in a taxi or other ride service vehicle, seeking health care, and going into any business/facilities. Businesses must require their employees, contractors, owners, and volunteers to wear a face covering both in the workplace and when performing work off-site and they must inform customers about the need to wear a face covering, including posting signs and advising those in line or inside the premises. Businesses must refuse service to anyone not wearing a face covering, unless the customer has a health condition that prevents it or is under 2 years of age.
As of May 1, San Diego County requires people to wear face coverings in most public settings. In general, people must wear face coverings anywhere they will come within six feet of others. This includes waiting in line to go inside a store, shopping in a store, picking up food at a restaurant, dining at a restaurant except when seated and actively consuming food or drink, waiting for or riding on public transportation, riding in a taxi or other ride service vehicle, seeking health care, and going into any business/facilities. Businesses must require their employees, contractors, owners, and volunteers to wear a face covering both in the workplace and when performing work off-site and they must inform customers about the need to wear a face covering, including posting signs and advising those in line or inside the premises. Businesses must refuse service to anyone not wearing a face covering, unless the customer has a health condition that prevents it or is under 2 years of age.
