East Boston couple facing civil rights charges after alleged racist attack on group dining at restaurant

Arielle Raso and Gregory Raso were charged after police responded to a noise complaint at Tertulias Cafe next to their home. Officers told them to contact police again if noise continued past 11 p.m. Police later returned after an assault report. Alleged victims said a verbal altercation began between the Rasos and their group at the restaurant. Prosecutors said the Rasos complained about noise and told the Hispanic victims to “get out of this country,” used racial slurs, and threatened to kill them. Prosecutors said the conflict escalated when the Rasos threw a piece of a shared fence at the victims, striking a child, and sprayed the group with a hose.

"Arielle Raso, 37, 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, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said in a press release."

"At about 6:45 p.m. Monday, Boston police responded to Tertulias Cafe, located at 26 Porter St., for a noise complaint from the Rasos, who live next door to the restaurant, prosecutors said. Officers told the husband and wife to contact them again if the noise continued past 11 p.m., according to the DA's office. Boston's noise ordinance generally prohibits anything louder than 50 decibels from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m."

"The Rasos allegedly complained about the noise and told the victims, who are Hispanic, to "get out of this country," the DA's office said. They also allegedly used racial slurs and threatened to kill the victims."

"The incident escalated to physical violence when 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, which officers heard Arielle Raso admit to while they interviewed"

Read at Boston.com