EXCLUSIVE London gym owner refusing to shut during lockdown clashes with THIRTY police officers who swoop on his premises to stop Lycra-clad customers from exercising
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.
'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 has vowed to flout the Government's Covid lockdown rules and remain open despite gyms all over the country being told to close
Gyms ARE Covid-safe: Experts say they pose a low risk of spreading the virus and keeping them open boosts health and wellbeing
Gyms and leisure centres should be kept open because they pose an extremely low risk of spreading coronavirus and boost the health and wellbeing of communities, researchers have said.
Analysis of more than 62million gym visits in 14 European countries since September revealed only 487 infections had been reported by operators — the equivalent of just 0.78 cases per 100,000 visits.
The Sheffield Hallam University academics who conducted the study said the figures reveal the 'vital' role of fitness centres in ensuring 'our communities are supported and have the opportunity to remain active'.
The SafeACTiVE study was conducted by Sheffield Hallam University's Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre , alongside King Juan Carlos University in Madrid, Spain.
Director of the AWRC Professor Rob Copeland said: 'Data from the SafeACTiVE study shows that gyms across the EU are safe places to exercise.
'The prevention of the further spread of Covid-19 has to be our primary objective but we also need to ensure that our communities are supported and have the opportunity to remain active.
'We know that being physically fit can help reduce the severity of Covid-19 infection and, moreover, being active can help us cope psychologically when faced with the challenges of a second wave of the pandemic across Europe.
'Keeping leisure centres and fitness clubs open and fully operational is critical to ensuring the health and wellbeing of our communities.
'I would go further and suggest that governments across Europe should be thinking about how we can increase access to activity, not reduce it, as we learn to live with Covid-19.'
The research was commissioned by EuropeActive – a non-profit association for the European fitness and physical activity sector.
Professor Alfonso Jimenez, head of THINK Active at EuropeActive, said: 'I am delighted to confirm such a low level of infection risk in fitness and health clubs, reinforcing the message that fitness and physical activity are a fundamental part of the solution during the Covid-19 pandemic in helping strengthen and improve immune functioning and lower risk of viral illness.'
The full report is expected to be released in November.
'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.
'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.
Gym users unable to gain access shouted insults at police - and were joined by more than 100 passers-by at the gates
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.
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'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 security barriers separating blocks of halls and footage of illegal raves continues to emerge from venues around the country.
And 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 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.
Mr Michli has vowed to flout the Government's Covid lockdown rules and remain open despite gyms all over the country being told to close
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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.
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.'
A number of gyms across the country have also refused to close since the start of new stricter coronavirus restrictions.
Majestic Gym in Pemberton told its members last week that it would '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.
'Majestic Gym is cleaner and safer than any supermarket, fast food outlet or anywhere else that is allowed to stay open.
'We temperature test every single person on entry and side we reopened in July, we've had 3,500 visits and nobody has failed a temperature test.
'The more businesses that refuse to obey the tyranny, clog the legal system and save our liberties.'
People will be allowed to exercise outdoors during the four-week lockdown, which may extend for longer, but some fear the cold weather will make it less feasible for people to do so.
Meanwhile, AStar Muscle and Fitness in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, posted a video on social media stating gyms were 'part of the solution, not the problem'.
They announced they would remain open in order to support their members' mental and physical well being.
Joe Davies, who runs the gym, said: 'Gyms are part of the solution, not the problem.