Pacifica Beach Yoga stayed open throughout the pandemic, owner posts misinformation and insults on social media

(Screenshot from ABC7 News)

While the rest of us were wearing masks to the grocery store, wearing masks while working at the grocery store, not seeing friends and family, and doing exercise classes on Crowdcast, Tommy Antoon was hosting "sold out" maskless hot yoga classes at his Pacifica studio, Pacifica Beach Yoga.

I had noticed clientele entering the studio carrying mats, and wondered how they were still taking classes. Perhaps they were private, socially distanced classes? But 24-Hour Fitness just down the road was completley closed, how could Pacifica Beach Yoga stay open?

Well, it couldn't, according to San Mateo County regulations, but Antoon sayse he doesn't believe the pandemic is real and defiantly remained open. "I mean, if it's a pandemic... wouldn't we be stacking bodies? You don't even hear about anyone dying. Only what you listen on the news," he told ABC7 News.

When an ABC7 reporter pressed him on why he continued to host classes despite county regulations Antoon said, "Go away, b*tch."

There have been 382 Covid 19 deaths in San Mateo County, more than 40,000 deaths in California, and 441,000 deaths across the country.

Antoon has remained open throughout the pandemic, posting class schedules and touting former President Trump, with hashtags including #fearfree and #cowardfree. On January 12, he labeled a class sold out.

Despite not believing in the pandemic, Antoon told NBC Bay Area that he fogs the entire studio with an alcohol mixture to sanitize, and also cleans the mats and floor after classes.

"How many people have I put in those ICU beds?" Antoon siad. "How many people have left my studio permeating with the COVID virus? Zero."

He also said on Facebook that he had previously contracted the virus: "I already caught it. It was like a fart. I mean I know you’re just a sheep but you have to be smart enough to realize you don’t even know you have the virus unless you get tested for it Wow that’s a pretty dangerous virus you wear a mask because they want to control you and you continue to wear a mask so they win then they gonna tell you to take a shot and you’ll do that too get ready it’s time for you to be Sheared [sic] just like a sheep."

Following several complaints on Yelp and elsewhere, San Mateo County began fining Antoon. He received a $250 citation in mid-November, and in the coming weeks racked up a total of $3,750 in citations. NBC Bay Area reported that county obtained a court order to shut the business down on January 21.

"This business has left us no choice," said San Mateo County Counsel John Beiers in a statement. "Our community rightly expects that when its state government imposes shelter-in-place laws, those laws will be enforced justly and equitably to ensure that everyone is playing by the same rules. Pacifica Beach Yoga has repeatedly, knowingly and flagrantly decided not to follow the rules that other businesses in this county are following. That is dangerous and cannot be allowed to continue."

San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa issued a statement saying: "We have a simple and clear message, wear your damn masks or risk having your business close. Let this be a lesson to all other business owners who refuse to obey the law, and there are many, that if you violate the law, you will be punished. It’s not about you, it’s about everyone around you, including your friends, your loved ones and the people you don’t even know who you come in contact with."

Antoon then began using the hashtag "#deletedavidcampena" (misspelling Canepa's name), and on Instagram encouraged people to "get in his face" and the faces of his wife and children. Canepa told NBC Bay Area that law enforcement is involved in response to the apparent threat.

Meanwhile, Antoon continues posting misinformation on his Instagram feed, including disproven claims that the CDC says there's no science behind the need to wear masks. He attacks and personally insults commenters who disagree with him. For example: "@jindy_lu I don’t respond to everyone but you look like you’re gonna be pretty easy to make cry," and he accused another of being a pedophile.

The Pacifica Beach Yoga website says the studio is "closed until further notice." Namaste.