Photo credit: AP

A disturbing lack of respect for men and women in uniform as an Atlanta gym owner banned both police officers and military service members from working out at his facility because they make his largely minority customer membership uncomfortable.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A gym owner posts 'No Cops' sign outside of business in east Atlanta. <a href="https://t.co/9juWk0Sjv5">https://t.co/9juWk0Sjv5</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MorningRushATL?src=hash">#MorningRushATL</a> <a href="https://t.co/mVKbD03Ghd">pic.twitter.com/mVKbD03Ghd</a></p>— 11Alive News (@11AliveNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/11AliveNews/status/895216335730298880">August 9, 2017</a></blockquote>

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Jim Chambers put up a sign on the door of his gym, EAV Barbell Club, that used profanity saying “NO FUCKING COPS” to announce that police aren't welcome there.

Chambers has been the owner of the facility for over a year, and says that the new policy is a direct response to the feelings of his customers who do not want law enforcement around them.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Atlanta Gym Owner Bans Cops & Military From Facility: <a href="https://t.co/h63b8G2b8i">https://t.co/h63b8G2b8i</a> (EAV BARBELL CLUB / INSTAGRAM) <a href="https://t.co/LODkoe2ZhM">pic.twitter.com/LODkoe2ZhM</a></p>— CBSDFW (@CBSDFW) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSDFW/status/895329662523457537">August 9, 2017</a></blockquote>

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The owner posted the sign to his Instagram account, raising controversy all across the country as the blatant targeting and exclusion of America's bravest and first responders went viral.

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BXFu6FQlyIo/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">We simplified our membership policy. #eavmisfits #eav #weightlifting #howwedo #fightthedemons #acab #resist #DaveCastroIsACrimeAgainstHumanity #atl #ofcourse</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by EAV Barbell Club (@eavbarbell) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2017-07-28T12:04:24+00:00">Jul 28, 2017 at 5:04am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>

The controversial sign that sits outside of the EAV Barbell Club first drew attention when it offended a military service member who worked out at the gym.

When asked why he decided to put such a grotesque sign and policy towards his customers, the owner referred to a shooting of a black man in Mississippi recently as a reason.

Chambers was referring to Ismael Lopez who was killed last month by police who were serving a warrant for another individual in an apparent address mix up where they had raided the wrong home.

“I don’t believe in reforming police. I believe in abolishing police completely,” he said and “normalizing anti-police mentality”.

Chambers said the he doesn't “even feel comfortable in the presence of police”, which is one of the reasons for the cop ban at his gym.

While police officers say that they have no choice but to respect the wishes of the gym, if emergency medical services are needed at the facility they'll still have to respond to the scene.

All of those reasonings by chambers truly make no sense however, because he's also said that active duty and former military veterans are also not allowed on the premises.

Chambers said the policy stemmed from members of the gym who are uncomfortable with law enforcement, such as people of color and those who identify as LGBTQIA+.

Chambers said that the sign was up for about a week and he eventually took it down two days ago, but he plans to replace it again.

“I didn't want the other folks there to take the heat that I'm willing to take,” Chambers said.

He said he plans to add a new sign, “something about Colin Kaepernick” to show that he and the members of his gym support the quarterback's movement.

The business, EAV Barbell Club is located at 530 Flat Shoals Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316 for anyone who's interested in knowing where this disgusting un-American and biased facility is located.

Source:

http://fox8.com/2017/08/09/no-cops-atlanta-gym-getting-heat-over-sign-policy-banning-police-officers-military-members/