California city fences off restaurant that has racked up $50,000 in fines for flouting COVID orders: report

According to NBC Los Angeles, a California eatery has had a chain link fence installed around it by the city of Burbank after flouting COVID-19 public health orders to the tune of $50,000 in fines.

The fencing was put up around Tinhorn Flats Saloon & Grill on Saturday after the restaurant racked up nearly $50,000 in fines for violating public health orders.

“Lucas Lepejian, the 20-year-old son of the restaurant’s owner, was taken into custody about 9:40 a.m. Tuesday after Burbank police said he was seen removing sandbags placed in front of the building to keep anyone from entering. He was cited and released a few hours later; it was his third arrest in six days,” noted the report.

Baret Lepejian, the owner, has said he will refuse to comply with the orders, telling the Los Angeles Times, “Show me one shred of evidence how I am endangering the public.”

As COVID-19 restrictions have been imposed over the last year, a number of businesses have tried ignoring them, including the gun-filled restaurant owned by QAnon-curious Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO). A cottage industry has sprung up around COVID-19 defiance, with one fake lawyer claiming to have gotten judges enforcing the orders thrown in jail on behalf of “clients” who oppose the rules.