An East Boston couple faces civil rights and assault charges after prosecutors say they targeted a group of Hispanic diners at Tertulias Cafe, hurling a piece of fence that hit a child and spraying the group with a hose while making racial threats and slurs.
The first call to police began with a noise complaint, but by the time officers returned that night, what prosecutors describe had turned into something far more brutal—and far more deliberate.
A couple from East Boston, Arielle Raso, 37, and Gregory Raso, 39, were arraigned Tuesday in the East Boston division of Boston Municipal Court on charges stemming from an alleged attack on people dining at a restaurant next to their home, prosecutors said.
According to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, the alleged assault took place at Tertulias Cafe at 26 Porter St. After Boston police responded at about 6:45 p.m. Monday for a noise complaint from the Rasos. officers told the couple to contact them again if the noise continued past 11 p.m. The city’s noise ordinance generally prohibits anything louder than 50 decibels from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Officers returned at about 8:30 p.m. for a report of an assault. Prosecutors said that when they arrived, one of the alleged victims told them that she and her group were gathered at the restaurant when a verbal altercation began between them and the Rasos.
The DA’s office said the Rasos complained about the noise and told the victims—who were Hispanic—“get out of this country.” Prosecutors also allege that the Rasos used racial slurs and threatened to kill the victims.
The incident escalated into physical violence, prosecutors said. The Rasos allegedly broke off a piece of a shared fence and threw it at the victims, striking a child. They also allegedly sprayed the group with a hose.
Prosecutors said officers heard Arielle Raso admit to the spraying while they interviewed the victims. Police also allegedly heard Arielle Raso say “I will kill you, I don’t give a [expletive]” and “I’m [expletive] done with all those [multiple racial expletives].”
The charges are extensive. Arielle Raso is charged with seven counts of assault and battery. seven counts of committing a civil rights violation. seven counts of threatening to commit a crime. and one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on a child under 14. according to the DA’s office. Gregory Raso faces seven counts of assault and battery. seven counts of committing a civil rights violation. and one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
Both defendants paid $750 bail and were ordered to stay away from the restaurant. They were also ordered to have no contact with the victims or any other patrons. The Rasos are scheduled to return to court July 28 for a pretrial hearing, prosecutors said.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in the press release. “The assaults on this group were terrible alone. but the injection of such vile racial rhetoric makes this incident even more appalling.” He added. “Our office will not—and our society must not—allow such actions to go unnoticed and unpunished.”.
The Rasos’ attorneys could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday evening.
East Boston civil rights charges assault and battery racist slurs Tertulias Cafe Suffolk County District Attorney Boston Municipal Court Arielle Raso Gregory Raso
So they were mad about noise then it turned into all that??
I read the part about the fence and the hose and… come on. If police were there earlier, why wasn’t it handled then? Also the “get out of this country” thing is wild.
Sounds like one of those things where the neighbors complain and then it just spirals. But the article says it started with noise, so I’m wondering if the victims were doing something too? Like were they loud on purpose? Idk, the slurs are bad either way, I just hate how it’s always one side.
Racist dining attack… yeah Boston is getting more “fun” 🙄. First they throw fence, then hose?? Next it’ll be somebody’s dog. I don’t even understand how a noise complaint leads to threats to kill, but I guess people are crazy. Hope they get hit with the full charges, and not some slap on the wrist.