A gym in Atlanta, GA is making no apologies when they publicly announced a ban on all law enforcement officers from joining or working out at their establishment.
According to their website… “We are a radically aligned, left-friendly gym and community,” the gym’s “About” page states. “We require no one to agree with any set of politics, but if you are hostile to the fringe, you ought to look elsewhere. We wanted to create a gym that wouldn’t be prohibitive due to cost, or overly aggressive, exclusionary jock culture. We want elite athletes and total newbs, anyone looking to pick up a bar. Meatheads welcome, too, so long as tolerance abounds.”
As reported by The Washington Times:
The controversy started when passersby noticed a sign posted in front of EAV Barbell Club in the city’s East Atlanta Village neighborhood and brought it to the attention of local NBC affiliate WXIA.
“Do whatever the f— you want, correctly, except crossfit cultism. No f—g cops,” the sign reportedly read.
The gym’s owner, Jim Chambers, said he took the sign down and regretted the profanity, but the policy still stands.
“We’ve had an explicitly stated ‘No Cop’ policy since we opened, and we also don’t open membership to active members of the military,” he told NBC.
Mr. Chambers, who is white, said the people who work out at his gym typically belong to minority groups and feel uncomfortable in the presence of law enforcement.
As reported by 11Alive:
The Atlanta Police Department would not comment on the policy, but told 11Alive News, “Were we to respond to an emergency there, this sign would not stop us from lawfully doing our job.”
“If they have a warrant, they can go anywhere they want, but we’re not breaking the law,” Chambers said.
The question now is what happens if Chambers or anyone inside the gym needs the police.
Chambers says they never have, and won’t ever need the help of officers. He says he plans to put the ‘No Cop’ sign back up without the foul language.
Lawyers we talked with found the policy strange, but said because law enforcement officers are not a protected class under the law, only the courts can decide if EAV Barbell Club is violating any anti-discrimination laws.