Activist goes to SAHRC over gym incident
Muhammed Desai says he was thrown out of the gym's Old Eds branch last night for wearing a Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) T-shirt.
The back of the T-shirt read: “From the coast of Cape Town to the coast of Gaza, in solidarity with Palestinians against Israeli apartheid”.
The front of the T-shirt shows a picture of the late Chris Hani and slogans for BDS and the Young Communist League of SA.
Desai says he got a call from the branch’s manager before he went to the gym yesterday, asking that he no longer wear pro-Palestine T-shirts.
He reportedly then spoke to the regional manager, who said Desai would be removed and suspended from the gym for wearing “pro-Palestine” T-shirts.
Desai says he had been wearing T-shirts bearing slogans showing his political leanings to gym for years and this was the first he had heard about this rule.
He claims gym members with pro-Israel sentiment told him they had been in consultation with the group’s “highest management” about his attire.
The incident has once again put Virgin Active at the centre of a social media storm. The chain hit the headlines last year for numerous alleged racial incidents.
Virgin Active’s policy on attire worn inside its gym is that members “ensure that your choice of clothing doesn’t make other members feel uncomfortable”.
“Our goal at Virgin Active is for our health clubs to be neutral spaces in which members can pursue their health and wellness goals while, at the same time, accommodating the rights and freedoms of all members,” said the club’s communications head Les Auspiais in a statement.
The company also said earlier on Twitter that it is “aware of the serious situation” at the branch and “are investigating and will you keep you updated”.
#VirginActive has been trending on Twitter since this morning in South Africa. See reaction below.
The @YCLSA Chris Hani tshirt I was wearing & led to police being called by @VirginActiveSA to remove me from the gym pic.twitter.com/wsI5MMOUeu
— Muhammed Desai (@MuhammedDesai) August 12, 2015
We hear you. We’re aware of the serious situation at Old Eds, are investigating and will you keep you updated.
— Virgin Active (@virginactiveSA) August 13, 2015
Thrown out over a t-shirt? How disgustingly racist and bigoted of @virginactiveSA #virginactive http://t.co/6HHlwdH1eT
— Aaqila Mahomedy (@AaqilaMahomedy) August 13, 2015
#VirginActive I have always wanted to join Virgin active, I have to wait a bit because of this and I'm a pro palistine anti.
— hluphe sigade (@msigade) August 13, 2015
They should call the cops for ANC tshirts as well.😐 #VirginActive
— Mohamed Irfan Seedat (@Moe_Irfan_) August 13, 2015
There's so many racist incidents at Virgin Active these days you'd swear Steve Hofmeyer is running the place.
— Julio Garcia (@juliogarciaSA) August 13, 2015
(Photo via Twitter, @MuhammedDesai)