Fight on the line

David Clayton

Thursday, Jan. 29, 1998 | 11:32 a.m.

First published April 8, 1992.

A tactic by striking Culinary union members of hurling insults toward patrons of the Frontier Hotel has led to the arrest of two picketers on felony battery charges.

Altogether, four people were arrested Tuesday night after an incident that began when a 61year-old patron, apparently outraged by a striker's insult directed toward him and his wife, charged the striker.

Metro Police Sgt. B. Kim said two other strikers were charged with felony battery after they joined the fight and began hitting the patron with picket signs.

The strikers arrested for felony battery, a man and a woman, were not identified at the scene by police.

Kim described the incident as "a major fight, one that got out of hand." He said the felony charges against the two strikers were lodged due to the particularly aggressive nature of their actions. Normally, he said, such fights do not result in other than misdemeanor charges.

Misdemeanor charges were also lodged against the patron, Robert Cappuccio, and the picketer who admits he insulted him, Barry Siegel, who worked as a bartender at the Frontier before the strike began last fall.

At the scene, Siegel said Cappuccio started the altercation by calling the strikers names. Siegel said he said a few things back, prompting Cappuccio to walk toward him but then turn away.

Cappuccio, however, charged him after Siegel yelled, "You and your wife are scabs," Siegel said, Police charged Siegel with misdemeanor battery and Cappuccio with provoking a breach of peace, a misdemeanor.

Siegel complained of minor facial injuries and perhaps a broken foot. Police said Cappuccio was knocked unconscious by the pair of picket-wielding strikers. Kim said Cappuccio reacted as he did because he felt honor bound to defend his wife, whom he felt had been degraded.

After the incident, strikers continued to hurl insults, including profanities, at Frontier patrons.

Police said they are reviewing a videotape of the incident supplied by Frontier security guards.

A union organizer defended the actions of the pickets.

"They were defending the picket line and themselves," Heidi Hughes said.