By Jim Clark

Police officers were dispatched to The Highland Kitchen on Highland Ave. last week on reports of a dispute.

Upon arrival, the officers observed a man, later identified as Francis Furnelli, screaming and yelling obscenities at the restaurant manager, inches from his face.

The restaurant manager made numerous attempts to calm Furnelli down, but was unsuccessful. The officers asked Furnelli for his identification, but did not comply immediately.

The officers made numerous unsuccessful attempts to calm Furnelli down due to his boisterous and tumultuous behavior, but he continued to get louder and he continued to use profanity.

As backup officers arrived on the scene to assist, one individual began recording the incident on his cell phone, and there was a group of people coming out of restaurant and a nearby convenience store standing on the side walk, watching the goings on.

After numerous unsuccessful attempts to calm Furnelli down, he was placed under arrest and transported to the Somerville Police Station where he was booked on a charge of disturbing the peace and processed in the usual manner.

The officers spoke with the restaurant manager, who stated that he had been alerted by his bartender that she was no longer going to serve Furnelli because he had two aggressive encounters with two regular patrons. The manager stated that he respected his bartender’s request to no longer serve Furnelli, and asked him to leave the establishment, which Furnelli refused to do.

Police then spoke to the bartender, who stated that she observed Furnelli harass and heckle two regular patrons. She said that she was concerned that Furnelli may escalate his disruptive behavior, and she alerted the manager about not serving Furnelli any more alcohol.

The bartender stated that Furnelli was served one alcoholic cider prior to his disruptive behavior, and she also admitted that he did not appear to be intoxicated prior to entering the establishment.