NJ Gym Owners Remove Doors As Defiance Of Murphy Orders Continues

BELLMAWR, NJ — The owners of a South Jersey gym are taking a drastic step in their ongoing defiance of Gov. Phil Murphy's stay-at-home executive order: they're removing the front doors.

The step came in response to a contempt motion the state filed against the owners of the Atilis Gym in Bellmawr. Owners Ian Smith and Frank Trumbetti have repeatedly defied Murphy’s executive order by reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“When they come to change our locks, we will be taking the front doors off the hinges,” owner Ian Smith said in a Facebook video this weekend. “We will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Frank and I will be working around the clock to keep this place open until they back down or remove us by arresting us.”

New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

Smith said he and Trumbetti have been operating since July 4. They had been holding classes outside, but have been operating completely inside for the last two weeks.

They had filed a federal lawsuit that challenges the constitutionality of the state's "Draconian" shelter-in-place executive orders, which resulted in the closing of non-essential businesses in March. Read more: South Jersey Gym Owners That Defied Murphy's Order File Lawsuit

It was filed after the gym reopened three times in one week in May in defiance of the governor’s executive stay-at-home order. The gym was closed by order of the state after the third reopening. It then reopened a fourth time, but was shut down again by court order.

In one instance, the county put a padlock on the gym, but that has since been removed. The contempt lawsuit in which the state is looking to change the locks was filed late last week, and Smith said he expects the state to be successful in their request because the judge has “signed off on everything Murphy has asked for so far,” Smith said.

As they filed their lawsuit, Smith and Trumbetti filed a request to reopen via temporary restraining order, which was denied by the same judge that was to hear the new request. Read more here: Judge Denies NJ Gym Owners’ Temporary Restraining Order: Report

Many non-essential businesses have been permitted to reopen in recent weeks, the use of gyms has been limited.

Gyms and fitness centers, movie theaters, performing arts centers, other concert venues, and indoor amusement and water parks must keep their indoor spaces closed, and dance floors at any business must be closed or cordoned off.

Gyms and fitness centers are, however, permitted to offer individualized indoor instruction by appointment only. The instructor is offering training to one person or a person's immediate family members, household members, caretakers or romantic partners.

Multiple instructions at the same gym or fitness center must take place in separate rooms. If there is no alternative, the room must be separated by a floor-to-ceiling barrier that complies with all fire code requirements.

See related: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know