Adamson Barbecue in Etobicoke opens for indoor dining in spite of COVID-19 measures

Adamson Barbecue in Etobicoke opened its doors for indoor dining on Tuesday, in defiance of government-enforced COVID-19 measures banning restaurants from doing so.

On Monday night, restaurant owner Adam Skelly posted a video on Instagram expressing frustration over the government lockdown orders and saying Adamson Barbecue will open the next day for people to eat inside.

Restaurants are allowed to offer take-away food, but cannot allow indoor dining as the province attempts to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The restaurant attracted crowds of protesters and other members of the public, some to take away and others who chose to dine inside. Public health officials arrived and there was a large police presence on site.

Toronto police said the crowd was too large to attempt to separate and the doors remained open during lunchtime.

Without any evidence, Skelly suggested on Instagram that the COVID-19 case count had been exaggerated, testing ineffective, and non-essential activities shut down unnecessarily. He said “this thing” – he doesn’t specify what exactly – “stinks, smells like corruption.”

“When it’s too much is too much. We’re opening. For anyone who is a fan of freedom and sovereignty, the right to choose what to wear, where to go, who to have in your house, what businesses you can go to, I’d love to meet you tomorrow.”

Carleton Grant, head of the city’s law enforcement unit, told Jennifer Pagliaro of the Star on Tuesday morning that the restaurant’s opening plan was brought to her attention “by a number of inside sources.”

He said city, public health and police officials planned to attend the restaurant on Tuesday morning.

“If this establishment or any other that is prohibited from opening does so, appropriate law enforcement will be taken,” Grant said in an email.

Skelly posted a video on the famous Texas BBQ restaurant’s official Instagram on Monday to tell followers that their new Etobicoke location would be open for dining inside “against provincial orders” starting at 11am.

“For those of you who have eyes to understand why I’m doing this, thank you so much guys,” Skelly said.

“This is a risky move and you guys gave me the gas to do it.”