Police Arrest Gallery Owner for Serving Alcohol

NEW YORK—Police arrested Vered Gallery owner Ruth Kalb in East Hampton, New York, on Saturday after she refused to stop serving alcohol at an opening reception for an exhibition of celebrity photographs, reports the New York Times. She was charged with selling alcohol without a liquor license, although she claimed she was providing the wine and champagne for free. She is to be arraigned June 25 in East Hampton Town Court.

Kalb, who also goes by Ruth Vered, claimed she had been serving liquor at her her gallery for years and said, "They have some nerve." Mayor Paul Rickenbach sided with the police. "It's not something that's new and out of the blue at all," he said.

The party, in celebration of a show of photos by Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Angelina Jolie, and other stars, coincided with the traditional start to the resort area's summer season, Memorial Day weekend.