A branch of the famous gym, Anytime Fitness, in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin is facing major backlash after it released a new workout routine called "I Can't Breathe" and it included an image of a person kneeling.
Mocking George Floyd's death
The controversial workout routine comprises of a 35-minute drill of burpees and row exercises. The workout routine was written on a board and at the bottom, it read "And don't you dare lay down."
One of the patrons of the gym took a photo of the board and posted it on social media. It has received criticism from those who accused the gym of mocking the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer by kneeling on his neck for almost 9 minutes.
The incident happened on May 25 and was caught on video. Floyd can be heard telling officers that he can't breathe.
Derek Chauvin, the officer who had his knee on Floyd's neck, was immediately fired from the police department of Minneapolis and he is currently facing a second-degree murder charge and second-degree manslaughter. The three other officers who were on the scene were also fired and they are facing charges too.
A Twitter user posted the photo of the workout routine and wrote that it is concerning that Anytime Fitness is mocking the death of George Floyd, it only proves that racism is alive in Wauwatosa, Milwaukee. Another Twitter user wrote that the whole workout routine idea is disgusting and jaw-dropping.
Anytime Fitness is one of the most popular fitness centers in the world, with over 4,000 franchised locations in 50 different countries.
Also Read: George Floyd and Derek Chauvin Knew Each Other, Reports Claimed They Had Clashed Numerous Times
On June 10, the management issued an apology and stated that they were devastated and shocked over the workout routine.
The statement read that no matter what the intent is, they do not condone the illustrations, words, or actions that the picture represents. They added that to their employees, owners, and their members, they are truly sorry for the incident.
The co-owner and the general manager of the Wauwatosa location, Jen Dunnington, posted an apology on Facebook for the deeply offensive words, illustrations, and actions in the picture.
Anytime Fitness added that they realized they still need to work on training the franchise owners in order to lead the branches with love, empathy, and respect and they will use this incident to show other franchise owners why it is insensitive and offensive.
The statement read that they will remain committed to working to inform and educate the owners and employees worldwide to stand for the black communities including the members and employees.
Other incidents
Unfortunately, the insensitive workout routine of Anytime Fitness is not the first incident where the gruesome death of Floyd was mocked and ridiculed. Earlier this week, a group of white men in New Jersey mocked the Black Lives Matter protesters as they marched in the streets of Franklin Township.
The counterprotesters reenacted the way that George Floyd died, with one man on the ground and the other with his knee on his neck. The "Trump 2020" banner was displayed as well as a placard that says "All Lives Matter".
There was also a flag with a thin blue line displayed on the truck that a counterprotester owns. The two men in the viral video have since been fired from their respective jobs.
Related Article: White Men Mocked George Floyd's Death In Front of Black Lives Matter Protesters
