Bellmawr, New Jersey’s Atilis Gym has been defiant against the coronavirus lockdown, which co-owners Ian Smith and Frank Trumbetti confirmed with “Tucker Carlson Tonight” resulted in having their business license officially revoked.
“We had our business license stripped yesterday,” Smith said. “We knew going in what the vote was going to be and it was exactly what we were told it was going to be … And it was very clear as soon as we walked in that they were there to accomplish a mission. And that mission was to revoke our business license and enforce the will of Gov. Murphy.”
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has been in an ongoing battle with Atilis Gym since the owners began challenging coronavirus regulations by staying open against all warnings.
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But Smith said even having their license taken away isn’t stopping them from doing business and Atilis is still welcoming gym goers “as usual.”
A police officer issues Atilis Gym co-owners Ian Smith and Frank Trumbetti summons outside their gym in Bellmawr, N.J., Tuesday, May 19, 2020. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
“We have the science and data on our side and we’re mandating that he actually prove to us and show us his science and data,” Trumbetti said. “I want to see the science that shows that a New Jersey Transit bus can have 60 people on it in 340 square feet and that you can actually have full contact sports outside and everything else that he has actually decided to pick and choose who could open up. Show me the science and the data that proves those points and I’ll close my doors. If not, I’m here to fight until the end.”
The owners agreed that what started out as a fight to keep their small business open turned into a political statement to protect the constitutional rights of Americans.
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‘This is about much more than just keeping our business open,” Smith said. “We smelled that this was political very early on and our hunch was right. And we don’t want to see the country that we love and the way of life that we love be ruined with a political agenda… I don’t think that we thought it was going to get this far. But we’re not going to tuck our tail and run on this one. We’re going to see this all the way through because it is that important.”