Salem Restaurant Owner Kicks Blogger In Belly: Police

SALEM, MA — A restaurant owner was scheduled to be arraigned in Salem Dirtict Court Tuesday morning after being accused of kicking Salem Digest editor and former city councilor William Legault twice in the stomach. Frandy Xiangfa Xu, 44, of Salem, was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon after being arrested around 12:30 a.m. Saturday morning.

Legault told police he was in a restaurant near the now-shuttered Bistro 118 on Washington Street that Xu owns. Legault told police Xu approached him in the restaurant and grabbed his beard. When the two went outside, Xu kicked him, Legault said. Xu, who was released on personal recognizance, was visibly drunk when he was arrested, police said.

Legault runs Salem Digest, a popular local news and commentary website. Last month, Legault was the first to report the Massachusetts Department of Revenue seized Bistro 118 for unpaid taxes.