A campaign to enforce social distancing guidelines at bars and restaurants continued across the city over the weekend and into Monday. Less than two weeks ago, several businesses along Steinway Street in Astoria caught the attention of lawmakers when videos showed streets filled with party goers, many without masks.

According to Governor Cuomo, the State Liquor Authority (SLA) issued more than 100 social distancing violations on Friday and Saturday, and another 27 on Sunday at establishments across the five boroughs.

By Tuesday, the SLA announced it suspended 12 liquor licenses at bars, all of them in Queens for “egregious violations.”

We spoke to the owner at one of the business that lost its license. While he didn’t want to go on camera because he was afraid that state or city officials might punish him further for speaking out, he did offer NY1 a few words.

“I believe that what happened on Steinway Street on Friday night just brought everything out of control and we’re suffering now for what they did,” the business owner said. :They came around and harassed us.”

Those who received violations may have to pay as much as $10,000 for each one.

That doesn’t seem to bother everyone. In fact, the operators at several other Astoria businesses told NY1 it may have been the wake up call rule breakers needed.

“Unfortunately, due to just a few bad actors ... we’re going to endure more pain because it’s just [going] to create more problems for us down the road,” said Rick White, the owner of Astoria Bier and Cheese.

“It escalated, and now are they being harsher,” said Yanni Stathakis, the general manager of Tru Astoria.

Most Astoria residents seem to be on the same page. They say the partying was going on for some time before the crackdown and that businesses were pushing the limits to see what they could get away with.

“I think it was warranted,” said one local.

“I’ll tell you, dying is a lot worse than not being able to drink for a night. I mean corona kills people,” added another.

Businesses that lose their liquor license because of an emergency suspension are entitled to an expedited hearing before a State Liquor Authority Administrative Law Judge.