Town shuts off gym’s water, power for defying coronavirus rules in Massachusetts

A Massachusetts gym that reopened in defiance of state coronavirus regulations had its water and power cut Wednesday night under a court order, The Boston Globe reports.

David Blondin, owner of Prime Fitness & Nutrition in Oxford, already faces $7,000 in unpaid fines for refusing to close under a statewide stay-home order, WBZ reported.

Blondin, who says the gym has been operating at 50% of capacity since mid-May, argues that his constitutional rights are being violated, WCVB reported.

“People have the freedom to work out,” Blondin said, WBZ reported. “People can do as they please. They can exercise. They can do as they want.”

But a state order bars gyms from opening until Phase 3 of a reopening plan, which can’t begin earlier than June 29, The Boston Globe reported. The shutdowns are intended to help curb the spread of coronavirus.

On Tuesday, Worcester Superior Court Judge Susan Sullivan ruled that Oxford can change locks, board up doors and windows, cut off utilities and take any other steps needed to close the gym, WBZ reported.

Attorneys for the gym and town confirmed that power and water were shut off Wednesday night, WCVB reported.

“If they truly chose to do that as a town of Oxford, you know, it’s surprising to me that they’re trying to rip down a business like this,” Blondin said, according to the station.

More than 8.3 million cases of the COVID-19 virus have been confirmed worldwide with more than 449,000 deaths as of Thursday, June 18, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has more than 2.1 million confirmed cases with more than 117,000 deaths.

The World Health Organization has declared coronavirus a global pandemic. In the United States, President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency.

This story was originally published June 18, 2020 at 9:51 AM with the headline "Town shuts off gym’s water, power for defying coronavirus rules in Massachusetts."