San Mateo County yoga studio ordered to close for holding indoor, mask-free classes despite COVID-19 health order
PACIFICA, Calif. (KGO) -- After racking up thousands of dollars in fines and receiving a new court order to shut down operation, a defiant Pacifica yoga studio has been spotted breaking the rules once again.
ABC7 News' cameraman was outside the Pacifica Beach Yoga business Thursday night, only to find people coming and going to classes late into the evening. It's despite a San Mateo County judge granting the county's request to order the yoga studio closed, the very same day.
The yoga studio has been sued by San Mateo County to close Pacifica Beach Yoga for defying local COVID-19 health orders for months, by offering indoor and mask-free classes. The business has been billed for more than $3,700 in violation fines.
RELATED: Pacifica yoga studio continues to hold 'mask free, virus free' classes, prompts new investigation
Thomas Antoon, the owner of Pacifica Beach Yoga, told the ABC7 I-Team in October that he doesn't believe COVID-19 is real.
"I mean, if it's a pandemic.. wouldn't we be stacking bodies?" Antoon said. "You don't even hear about anyone dying. Only what you listen on the news."
Judge Danny Chou of the San Mateo Superior Court mandated Thursday that the Pacifica Beach Yoga studio immediately stop conducting business in violation of the county and state's current stay-at-home health orders. It appears the yoga studio's management have decided to keep operating as usual.
WATCH: Pacifica yoga studio under investigation after hosting 'mask free, virus-free' classes for months
ABC7's Stephanie Sierra also previously asked Antoon, "Are you concerned about potential spread?"
"No. No. It's been seven months," Antoon said. "We have the distance. We do our yoga. They contain themselves here. They're all wiped, the spot you have when you leave. Then we come in and we clean it."
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If you know of a business in San Mateo County that is not complying with public health guidelines, you can file a complaint to the COVID-19 Compliance Unit by calling 211 or filing a report online starting Monday.
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