NEWARK, N.J. – America’s move theater heavyweights are taking New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to Court.
First reported by The Hollywood Reporter, multiple major movie chains are suing Governor Murphy for what they believe is a clearly unconstitutional continued shutdown of their New Jersey theaters.
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“By this Complaint, Plaintiffs challenge Defendants’ unconstitutional and unlawful distinctions in allowing certain places of public assembly to reopen, while requiring movie theatres to remain closed,” explains the complaint filed Monday by the National Association of Theatre Owners of New Jersey and other plaintiffs including AMC, Regal and Cinemark. “COVID-19 represents a serious public health risk, and Plaintiffs support fair and reasonable actions by the government to address that risk. However, the government-mandated total closure of movie theatres is neither fair nor reasonable, and is instead a violation of Plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and freedom of expression, Equal Protection of the laws, Due Process under the law, and is a Taking of property without just compensation.”
Click here to read the complaint.
Governor Murphy has kept movie theaters shuttered since March, and on Monday he signaled his unwillingness to permit the reopening of additional commercial properties until New Jersey’s rate of COVID-19 transmission dropped.
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