Club Tabu was allegedly operating out of the back of adult video store Fantasies
A gay sex club in Lansing, Michigan, has been shut by police, after being accused of violating rules on social distancing.
Club Tabu was allegedly operating out of the back of adult video store Fantasies in defiance of the emergency coronavirus order issued by Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer.
According to Lansing City Pulse, the club was shut down on Friday after police served a cease-and-desist notice at the site, a week after the business was first ordered to close.
Gay sex club and video store ordered to close.
Ingham County Health Officer Linda Vail told the newspaper that the retail business “hasn’t been allowed to be open yet under the executive order”.
She added: “On top of that, there’s a club in the back room which has been opening and there’s a lot of close contact. No way they are six feet apart.”
According to the outlet, the club’s private rooms boast a sex dungeon, glory holes and monitors playing explicit movies.
A sign at the club had warned people to take “proactive steps” to “minimise the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus”, but it is unclear what, if any, social distancing rules were put in place.
Michigan club had complained about ‘deprivation of rights’.
The club is yet to comment on the closure, though it has previously shared Facebook posts appearing to describe the lockdown as a “deprivation of rights”.
Meanwhile, its website states: “Club Tabu is an 18 and up men’s alternative lounge in Lansing, Michigan We focus on gay, bi and trans men with a BDSM flavour and a commitment to discretion and privacy.
“It is complete with a large maze, changing areas, booths and more! It contains an extensive network of paths and hedges designed as a puzzle through which one has to find a way, and in our case, it is very dark and made with walls that have a few holes in them.
“This creates privacy for anyone that would like to have their meeting with utmost discretion, which is a high priority at Club Tabu, and also allows for the safety and security.”