The owner of a restaurant in Northern Virginia scored a major court victory Friday after defying COVID-19 restrictions put in place by Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam.
Judge Ricardo Rigual denied the state government’s request for a temporary injunction that would force Matt Strickland to immediately close his Gourmeltz restaurant in Fredericksburg, The Free Lance-Star reported. In his ruling, the judge argued the state failed to provide sufficient evidence the injunction was in the best public interest or that the pubic would suffer without it.
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The state began targeting Strickland after receiving complaints, according to The Daily Press, about his refusal to comply with restrictions put in place by Northam. He does not require Gourmeltz customers or employees to wear masks or to socially distance from one another, a violation of Executive Order 72, which is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor.
Due to his noncompliance, the Virginia Department of Health has suspended Strickland’s licenses. He has, though, continued to operate regardless.
“I’m not afraid of the state,” he told WUSA-TV. “I’m not afraid of the federal government. I spent most of my adult life fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have no problem coming home and fighting here in Virginia.”
In a Facebook post following the judge’s decision, Gourmeltz described the ruling as “a huge win,” adding, “We have to take a minute and thank all of you. There is no way we could have made it this far alone. We will continue to stand for Old Glory and what she represents to all of us.”
For his part, Strickland told WUSA-TV, “The state, the government, the president … they will never scare me into backing down. I will never kneel down and kiss that ring. I will fight as long as I’ve got to fight. I will fight as hard as I have to fight.”
One of his attorneys, former Rep. Bob Barr (R-Ga.), told the local media outlet his client “has been serving customers without a single incident of COVID-19, including any potential reports through contact tracing, nearby outbreaks, or any customers or employees testing positive, since the outbreak began.”
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Charlotte Gomer, a spokesperson for Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, said it’s “crucial that everyone play their part and adhere to the COVID guidelines in order for Virginia to return to normal as quickly and safely as possible.”
Rigual urged the attorneys in the case to move head “expeditiously” to bring it to trial.