New Jersey gym owner who broke rules by reopening claims lockdown against constitutional rights

Gym owner claims small businesses need to take a stand against coronavirus measures

Police have cited the owners of one New Jersey gym after it reopened in spite of state-wide restrictions against the operation of nonessential businesses.

Ian Smith and Atilis Gym co-owner Frank Trumbetti claim the decision to reopen was made in defence of their constitutional rights, whilst issuing apparent criticism of Democratic governor Phil Murphy.

“We said it from the get-go that this was about sort of a gross violation of our constitutional rights and that this is for all small businesses,” Mr Smith told Fox & Friends on Tuesday morning.

Mr Smith had argued on Sunday night that Mr Murphy’s orders against nonessential businesses were “absolutely decimating our economy doing this and we are destroying people’s lives”.

Under current state orders, only essential businesses are permitted to operate to slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus that has killed more than 10,000 people in the state.

Dozens of people turned-up to support the gym on Monday morning in Bellmawr, Camden County, with placards criticising New Jersey’s governor.

Video posted online showed others wearing pro-Trump t-shirts and captured chants of “USA, USA”.

Police arrived around two hours later to inform the crowd and the gym’s owners that they were violating state law.

The gym owner was later issued with a court summons and could face a $2,000 (£1,632) fine and six months in jail.

Mr Smith told Fox & Friends he was “prepared for anything”, and claimed some police officers “may not have wanted” to issue the summons.

“You know, we understand that at the end of the day they are doing their jobs and I sympathise with them for having to do something that they may not have wanted to do,” said Mr Smith.

Meanwhile, governor Murphy warned that anyone arriving at the Atilis gym on Tuesday would see “a different reality”.

“These aren’t just words. We’ve got to enforce this, but I also don’t want to start World War III”, said the governor.