A fitness gym in New Jersey had its business license revoked after it tried to open for business in defiance of governor Phil Murphy’s restrictions on such businesses.
The Bellmawr Borough Council voted 5-1 Tuesday to revoke the mercantile license of Atilis Gym.
Co-owners Ian Smith and Frank Trumbetti have been living in the gym since Aug. 1, after they kicked open a plywood barricade to reopen their business. In a video posted to Instagram, Smith claimed that authorities will soon attempt to erect a steel barricade on his doors.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by The Atilis Gym Bellmawr (@atilisgymbellmawr) on Aug 10, 2020 at 4:03pm PDT
“We will not be leaving. We have not left, and we will not allow them to construct a steel barricade in front of our place of private business,” Smith said.
Atilis Gym closed back in March when Murphy put in place restrictions on businesses in an attempt to control the virus. The gym then reopened back in May but were found in contempt of court after a Superior Court judge ruled that the Atilis was legally bound to comply with the state order that limits indoor gym use to individual training sessions.
Smith claims that there will be another court hearing on Friday and that the gym faces a possible daily $15,000 fine for violating the order.
