More than thirty police officers were deployed to shut a London gym and stop lycra-clad customers from exercising today after the owner refused to close.
Andreas Michli has vowed to flout the Government’s Covid lockdown rules and remain open despite the risk of arrest and a £10,000 fine – and was subject to two raids by Met officers.
More than 30 PCs entered his premises at 6pm last night to stop his patrons working out, and another two van loads of officers arrived again at 8.30am this morning.
One customer told Mail Online: ‘As far as I can see no one is following lockdown rules anyway. The streets are full of people. The parks are full.’
In a rallying cry on Facebook, the 34-year-old Michli who runs Zone Gym, in Wood Green, North London, told his members: ‘We are not closing!’.
He said: ‘We are staying open because it’s the right thing to do and we need the message to get out there to the public.
‘The police have asked us to close but we are going to do right by our members even if the legislation says different. We are keeping people healthy.
‘I am flabbergasted gyms are being forced to close. Gyms have some of the lowest infection rates of business sectors.
The gym owner has been clashing with 30 police officers today who stopped his lycra-clad customers from exercising Zone Gym, in Wood Green, North London
Mr Michli had an angry exchange with police officers as they arrived at the premises to stop people from entering the car park
Connie, a regular at the Zone Gym in Wood Green is pictured working out today before officers arrived to shut the premises
Andreas Michli (pictured) has vowed to flout the Government’s Covid lockdown rules and remain open despite gyms all over the country being told to close
‘The police came first last night at about 6pm when there were 30 people inside.
‘Then they returned again at around 8.30am when about seven people were already inside.
‘This is not about the police, and we understand they have a job to do.
‘It’s about people at the very top of government making the wrong decisions.
‘Closing gyms is the worst decision I’ve encountered in my life.
‘The benefits of keeping gyms open completely outweighs any reasons that exist to close them.
‘You improve your immune system by going to the gym which means it makes no sense to close them.’
‘It’s about people at the very top of government making the wrong decisions.
‘Closing gyms is the worst decision I’ve encountered in my life.
‘The benefits of keeping gyms open completely outweighs any reasons that exist to close them.
‘You improve your immune system by going to the gym which means it makes no sense to close them.’
Mr Michli says police shut him down last night, but he simply reopened again after they left – and said he would keep his gym open 24 hours a day until the end of lockdown.
The businessman even boasted that he was selling 150 day passes a day as well as remaining open for his 1,200 existing members.
Mr Michli had an angry exchange with police officers as they arrived at the premises to stop people from entering the car park.
Gym users unable to gain access shouted insults at police – and were joined by more than 100 passers-by at the gates.
One yelled at officers: ‘You’re behaving like Nazis. You should be ashamed of yourselves.’
Among those turned away by police was Deniz Coy, 40, from Enfield, North London, who said: ‘I got here just as the shutters were coming down.
‘As far as I can see no one is following lockdown rules anyway. The streets are full of people. The parks are full.
‘I suffer from depression and the gym is my only chance of getting out and doing something.
‘That gym is probably one of the safest places there is in the country right now.
‘Gyms are helping people. How can you justify closing them?’
By 11am the gym had opened its shutters again with staff playing a cat and mouse game with police trying to stop people entering the car park.
More than a dozen members were still inside working out at 11.50am as Mr Michli sent out fresh messages on social media urging people back to the premises.
The showdown is the latest evidence of a tide of civil disobedience sweeping the UK in the wake of the latest lockdown measures.
Enforcement officers from Haringey Council arrived at lunch to serve legal papers warning they would force entry to the premises on Thursday in an effort to secure its closure.
A letter said the Council was investigating whether the gym had breached the Public Health Act 1984 and the Health Protection Regulations 2020.
‘Please note that in exercising power of entry we may bring with us such persons as we deem necessary.
‘I should also make you aware that if during the visit you are found to be non compliant with the regulations, the Service will also consider a prosecution.
‘Failure to allow entry will be considered obstruction which is also an offence for which you could be liable to fines of up to £500 on conviction.’
A Scotland Yard spokesperson said: ‘Police have attended Zone Gym in Coburg Road, N22, on a number of occasions in the past week to support council officers who are engaging with the business owners in relation to the enforcement of Covid regulations.’
Last week students at the University of Manchester tore down covid security barriers separating blocks of halls.
Meanwhile footage of illegal raves continues to emerge from venues around the country.
Gym users unable to gain access shouted insults at police – and were joined by more than 100 passers-by at the gates
Mr Michli (pictured) has vowed to flout the Government’s Covid lockdown rules and remain open despite gyms all over the country being told to close
Mr Michli says he is flabbergasted gyms are being forced to close. Gyms have some of the lowest infection rates of business sectors
The clash at the gym comes a week after protesters led by England rugby star James Haskell drove an orange tank on Parliament Square to demand gyms stay open during lockdown.
The clash ast the gym comes a week after protesters led by England rugby star James Haskell drove an orange tank on Parliament Square to demand gyms stay open during lockdown.
The former international, 35, was stopped by police as he joined sports nutrition brand Grenade in demonstrating against gyms and leisure centres being classified as ‘non-essential’ under the rules, which take effect from midnight on Thursday.
Data for the end of October shows gyms were the sixth most common place for Test and Trace contact tracing exercises to be prompted, falling below supermarkets, pubs and restaurants and schools.
There were a reported 22million visits to gyms after they reopened in July, with 78 Covid-19 cases being tracked to these locations.
Grenade argues gyms must stay open as exercise can be vital in combating anxiety and stress.
Alan Barratt, CEO and co-founder of the brand, said: ‘Gyms and leisure centres aren’t just “another sector”. After working in them for most of my life I’ve seen how they positively impact people’s lives – and not just physically.
‘They’re directly supporting the nation’s mental wellbeing during one of the most worrying times in recent history.
‘With exercise helping to tackle widespread anxiety and stress, as well as offering a huge amount of preventative health benefits, the sector is hugely essential and we urge the government to review its current stance.’
Haskell believes it is even more important to keep gyms open during the second lockdown, as people cannot be expected to solely exercise outside during cold winter months.
The 35-year-old former forward added: ‘It’s imperative that people can continue to exercise regularly as the nights draw in and the weather worsens.
‘It simply isn’t realistic to believe the public will regularly exercise outside during the winter months, causing untold damage to the nation’s health.
‘Gyms and leisure centres are vital to keep the nation active and healthy.’
Grenade also published an open letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday, urging the public to rally against the government and demand the government re-consider the non-essential label, using the hashtag #KeepGymsOpen.
They urged concerned citizens to sign a petition to prevent gyms from closing due to spikes in Covid cases, which has now been signed by more than half a million people and is due to be debated in Parliament.
A gym in Wigan, Greater Manchester, has vowed to remain open and claimed they were ‘cleaner and safer’ than any supermarket.
Majestic Gym in Pemberton said it would open as usual on Thursday and it urged other businesses to ‘refuse to obey the tyranny.’
In a Facebook post, the gym said: ‘Seen the latest news from the Prime Minister and I’m proud to announce that Majestic Gym will stay open and NOT close as part of a national lockdown.
‘Please feel free to report this post to the police, the council, the prime minister himself.