Gym owners claim NC's pandemic restrictions are unconstitutional

The owners of several gyms and fitness studios across North Carolina say they will filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Gov. Roy Cooper over restrictions he has put in place that have kept them closed during the coronavirus pandemic.
Posted 5/26/2020, 4:47:30 PM Updated 5/26/2020, 10:33:52 PM

SAVING THE BUSINESSES AND

PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH AND

NICK STEVENS EXPIRES ONE HIGH

SCHOOL ATHLETES COULD GET BACK

TO THEIR GAMES.

THE LATEST FROM OUR STATE

LEADERS IN THIS PAST HOUR.>> A

GROUP OF GYM OWNERS PLANS TO

SUE GOVERNOR COOPER AFTER THEY

SAY HE IS VIOLATING THEIR STATE

CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND

KEELEY ARTHUR JOINS US LIVE IN

DOWNTOWN RALEIGH WITH THE

DETAILS.>>REPORTER: THAT IS

CORRECT.

THEY SAY THAT COOPER IS GETTING

IN THE WAY OF THEIR ABILITY TO

MAKE A LIVING.

AFTER BEING EXCLUDED FROM PHASE

2 THEY SAY THEY HAVE NO CHOICE

BUT TO TURN TO THE COURTS.

ALLOWED TO OR NOT, GYM OWNERS

ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA ARE

BRUSHING OFF THE DUMBBELLS AND

SAYING COME ON INTO CUSTOMERS

.>> WE ARE SO EXCITED BECAUSE

WERE OPENING OUR DOORS AT 5 PM

TODAY.>> DEFINES THE ORDERS TO

REMAIN SHUT DOWN DUE TO COVID

19 CONCERNS.>> IF YOU THINK YOU

ARE SICK DO NOT, AND IF YOU'RE

THAT SCARED DO NOT COME.>>

GOVERNOR COOPER SAID THAT

GYMNASIUMS COULD BE SHUT DOWN

ANOTHER MONTH.

BUT NOT IF FIT FOR LIFE HEALTH

CLUB OWNERS ROBIN SMITH AND ED

SMITH CAN HELP IT, THEY'RE PART

OF A GROUP OF PLAINTIFFS

PLANNING TO SUE COOPER IN WAKE

COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT.>> IT IS

RIDICULOUS WHAT HE IS DOING TO

PEOPLE, PEOPLE NEED TO EXERCISE

I GET OUT.>> WHY IS IT

IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO TAKE LEGAL

ACTION?

SPIRIT WELL WE HAVE ALREADY NOT

HAD INCOME FOR TWO MONTHS AND

THE NUMBERS DO NOT JUSTIFY WHAT

THE GOVERNOR IS DOING.

>> THEY ARE FILING WEDNESDAY

BUT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN

COURT THEY ARE GOING TO DO WHAT

THEY SAY THEY HAVE TO DO.>> YOU

WILL OPEN ANYWAY.

>> YES.>> PLANNING TO OPEN NEXT

MONDAY, JUNE 1.

>> BE SURE THAT YOU SAY EVERY

OTHER ONE.>> WE CARE ABOUT OUR

MEMBERS.

WE NEED TO BE OPEN AND WE CAN

DO IT SAFELY.>> THE SMITHS OWN

ABOUT 13 LOCATIONS IN VARYING

MINT HAS THE POLITIES AND FROM

THEIR UNDERSTANDING THEY SAY

LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL ONLY STEP

IN IF THEY GET CALLS TO DO SO A

LITTLE CLOSER TO HOME, RALEIGH

PD SAYS THE SAME THING BUT THEY

ARE GOING TO USE EDUCATION

FIRST FOR THESE BUSINESSES AND

THEN AS A LAST RESORT