Major movie theater chains sued the governor of New Jersey on Tuesday over his plans to keep theaters closed while allowing other indoor activities to reopen, claiming the state unfairly singled out the industry.
KEY FACTS
The lawsuit was filed by The National Association of Theatre Owners, whose members include AMC, Cinemark and Regal.
The complaint alleges that New Jersey is making an “arbitrary and irrational” distinction between similar indoor businesses by allowing churches to reopen with limited capacity, for example, and not movie theaters.
The organization claims the state is violating the industry’s First Amendment rights along with its rights to equal protection and due process.
Most states have already given movie theaters the green light to reopen this month with limited capacity or mask mandates depending on state guidelines, though in New York movie theaters are still shut down.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes.
Read the full complaint here.
Kurgen