(PresidentialWire.com)- The owner of a New Jersey gym was arrested on Monday after opening his business in defiance of the lockdown order put in place by Democratic Governor Phil Murphy. Ian Smith, the 33-year-old owner of Bellmawr, said that he won’t back down despite being arrested and that he is “not afraid of tyrants.”
Along with gym co-owner Frank Trumbetti, Smith was arrested and charged with obstruction, contempt, and violation of the Disaster Control Act. A New Jersey judge ruled that authorities could shut down his gym, lock the doors, and prevent people from accessing his business. The two business owners now also face daily fines for every day they remain in contempt of the legislation. They will even be required to pay the costs of the state to pursue them in the courts.
This is just one of many arrests that have happened all over the country as business owners attempt to provide important services to their customers and stop their businesses from collapsing as a result of a lack of revenue. It comes after months of standoffs between businesses in New Jersey and Governor Phil Murphy who has been criticized for shutting non-essential businesses for over four months now.
Smith spoke to Tucker Carlson on Fox News on Monday, explaining that he wasn’t willing to back down. He appeared on Fox News earlier this year, also, when dramatic footage was published of officers arresting people for attending the gym during lockdown.
“From the last time that we spoke, we had lost our newest case of contempt of court, and that was on Friday of last week,” he said. “The governor said and requested in court to take ‘extraordinary measures’ to stop us from operating a business. And Judge Robert Lougy agreed with him.”
Video footage was once again published, showing the most recent attempt by police officers to shut down the gym under the order of state government.
Tyrant Governor Murphy has owners of Atilis Gym arrested while encouraging riots in the streets. That’s expected.
Cops complying with these orders is what gets me. I’m done taking up for weak ass cops violating their constitutional oath! pic.twitter.com/J3vsM86JmY
— Marc Lobliner (@MarcLobliner) July 27, 2020
Smith told Carlson that he and his partner removed the doors on their gym to stop police officers from padlocking them, but that they did agree they would leave the premises peacefully if law enforcement arrived.
When officers arrived, he and his partner left and arrived back afterwards to find that the doors had been boarded up.
