The owners of two Tuxedo restaurants are complaining about what they call “fascism” after their businesses were shut down for eat-in dining by provincial health officials and fined $40,000.
Corydon Avenue eatery Monstrosity Burger has taken to social media to complain about its treatment by the province, saying the restaurant is facing large fines on top of the dining room closure for violating public health orders by letting unmasked and unvaccinated customers eat-in.
“This country is pathetic and we will lose every last bit of freedom if people dont (sic) stand up now,” Monstrosity Burger said on Instagram.
“The voting system is rigged and isn’t changing anything.”
A GoFundMe fundraiser, describing the government’s actions as “tyranny,” has also been started to help the business fight what it says is a discriminatory health order.
According to the fundraiser, the restaurant has been hit with $40,000 in fines.
That number was confirmed by the province on Tuesday. According to the Public Health Orders report, updated weekly, Monstrosity Burger and its sister restaurant next door, Tuxedo Village Family Restaurant, received six tickets of $5,000 each for violating public health orders last week, and two more the week before.
Tuxedo Village Family Restaurant was also shut down — a business that made headlines last summer after its owner allegedly made a racist Facebook post.
The two restaurants have been openly flouting Manitoba’s health rules throughout the pandemic.
A viral social media video earlier in September appeared to show unmasked Winnipeg police officers picking up an order at Monstrosity Burger. Police told Global News they were aware of the video and were investigating.
Four other places received $5,000 tickets this past week, including CanadaInns Windsor Park, and three places in Winkler, including the Chicken Chef, Loblaws and Topper Family Restaurant.
“These measures are in place to reduce the transmission, therefore reduce the amount of severe outcomes we see that risk the health care system, as well as bringing down the community transmission so we can keep kids in school, for example,” Manitoba’s chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin said Tuesday.
“We need all Manitobans to play their role. If we’re going to have a good response to this fourth wave and have some of the things that are most important to us.”