Restaurant owner accused of spray-painting man’s face in attack at Worcester City Council meeting

WORCESTER, Mass. — The owner of Worcester restaurant is facing criminal charges after he allegedly spray-painted a man’s face in an attack outside of a City Council hearing on Tuesday night.

After the reported assault, an arrest warrant was issued for John Piccolo, the owner of Piccolo’s Restaurant on Shrewsbury Street, according to the Telegram & Gazette.

Activist David Webb publicly identified himself as the victim and identified “the owner of Piccolo’s” as the suspected attacker during the public comment portion of the hearing.

“Sorry, I’m shaken up. The owner of Piccolo’s just spray-painted my face out there,” Webb stated in front of the City Council.

Video from the meeting showed black paint on Webb’s face and shirt.

Webb has claimed that the alleged assault may have been in retaliation for criticism of a school committee member who hosted a fundraiser at Piccolo’s Restaurant last week, the newspaper reported.

Webb also reportedly said that he had not interacted with Piccolo before Tuesday’s incident.

Worcester City Manager Eric Batista told the newspaper that “violence and aggressive behavior of any kind toward any person inside City Hall and other public facilities is unacceptable.”

Piccolo is facing a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon.

An investigation is ongoing.

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