Today by Adam Skelly, Adam Skelly, the Barbecue COVID Rebel, Thanks Supporters — ” I did not expect this kind of support and I am so fired up! I could feel the love from [my] cell.”
Barry (McNamar), thank you so much for taking your time to set this up for me. It’s been a hectic week and it was a huge load off my shoulders knowing that this was in good hands.
I did not expect this kind of support and I am so fired up! I first found out the crowdfunding while I was in custody- the officers were updating me through the night. I could feel the love from the cell and it helped me get through the 30 hours in great spirits.
Thank you all for seeing through the collective hysteria and supporting our cause. I promise you I will fight this battle to the best of my abilities and honor your contributions.
FYI- 170k has cleared and a transfer to a trust account is pending. The legal fund is safe from attack.
Adamson BBQ Legal Defence Fund Reaches $310,209 — Organizer Refuses Leftists’ Ploy of Dividing & Criticizing Supporters & Resists Censors’ Efforts to Pressure GoFundMe to Shut Down These Freedom Fighters
Good morning folks,
Well, here we are at $303,000!
Thank you sincerely for all that you have done to make this effort a success.
Now, over the past days, I have been asked to comment on various rumours and perceived controversies.
Well, I won’t do it.
From the beginning I have asked you to fund the fight to challenge asymmetric COVID regulations in the courts.
I have asked you to do that by contributing to the Adamson BBQ Legal Defence Fund.
And you have all responded in kind.
Today I want to stand by that ask.
And thank all of you for your extremely generous support, with the utmost sincerity.
During my career, I have found myself outside the good graces of the compact majority.
Not often, but enough for it to matter.
It is the nature of having a successful career in politics and policy. Well, any successful career really.
I have been the subject of rumours, media scrutiny and even legal claims that were, at the end of the day, exposed as utter bullshit and were withdrawn without prejudice.
But not before they took their toll on my interpersonal relationships with my children, my spouse, my friends, my colleagues and my clients.
And I will never use any platform to do that to another man.
Nor will I use any platform to perpetuate those claims.
Why? Because at the end of the day, they exist to weaken our resolve and encourage us to just give up.
Public relations is war. Right now, we are engaged in a war with the most powerful adversary there is— government.
This is an institution with the power to use our own money against us.
So today I want to express to you all that I stand by Adam in his fight for the fair treatment of small business.
Really, if we do not have the courage to stand by our convictions when the going gets tough, then we have no business in the fight.
I will be ceasing the campaign within the next week.
Before I do, I would really love for us to hit that $350,000 target.
This is going to be a tough battle and I would hate to see it stall out for lack of resources.
For those of you, like me, whose resolve has only been strengthened by the recent petition campaign to “defund” our fight, I hope you will give one last time.
If each of us who receives this update contributed just $7 today, we would reach our goal.
If
you have been following the news you have most likely heard of this
self-righteous bro who owns a bbq joint in Etobicoke that is going
against the provincial government’s mandates to protect the people.
Whether you agree with these mandates or not, he is putting the lives of
others at risk and selfishly breaking the law in order to gain fame and
attention. This has led to him being arrested and charged, as well as
tax payers money being wasted in the fight against his nonsense.
Now a third party (who does not know this man) has gotten involved
and set up a GoFundMe to raise money for him so that he can fight the
charges against him – which is nearing a quarter of a million dollars!
This is not right and I am asking GoFundMe to reevaluate what it’s
platform should and should not be used for and to remove this so called
“fundraiser” immediately. It’s setting a bad precedent for others, and
giving money to a “rich kid” instead of to people and small businesses
who actually need it.
He has made decisions in which he knew there would be consequences – and he should pay for them himself!
It is important to also note that this guy is not the “small business
working-class hero” that he is trying to portray himself as. He is a
white privileged anti-masker conspiracy theorist who comes from money
and is known in Toronto for being an “attention seeker”. Earlier this
year he was called out by the media after he had a public meltdown on
Twitter over the Covid-19 pandemic and repeatedly referred to others as
the R word.
Amidst the slough of politicians, media and citizen fear mongers
supporting irrational COVID “public health orders” that shut down small
businesses while allowing corporate big-box stores to remain open…
one small business is standing up for the rights of the “little guys”
like you and me to get out and earn a living too.
Ontario’s Adamson BBQ has been opening every day to serve people
lunch. And owner Adam Skelly is paying a high price for carrying that
cudgel of liberty. Over the past 24 hours he’s been hit with numerous
fines totalling tens of thousands of dollars for violating
unconstitutional and draconian COVID “public health orders.”
All because he refuses to let your politicians—who are out there
enjoying their fat salaries that we all pay for, wag their fingers at us
and tell us we don’t have a right to earn a living too. After all,
“we’re all in this together” right?
I don’t know him but I do
know that guys like Adam are in short supply during this overblown COVID
nonsense. And he deserves our support.
So c’mon.
If we’re not going to be out there leading by example, let’s at least
kick in $100, $75, $50 or whatever you can afford to help Adam fight
this fight for us.
If we’re not willing to kick in a few bucks to help Adam fight for our freedoms, then maybe we don’t deserve them.
Don’t put this aside for later. Every fine, every police visit, every
daily scolding by some fat cat politician is chipping away at Adam’s
courage. Show him that he’s not alone.
On day three of what will now be known as “The Great Canadian BBQ Rebellion,” I returned to Adamson Barbecue to continue to cover the incredible anti-lockdown protest that was sparked by Adam Skelly’s civil disobedience.
If you can believe it, Toronto police and public health enforcement officers changed the locks on Adamson Barbecue in an effort to prevent Skelly from opening his
doors. Under the guise of ‘public safety,’ they attempted to prevent
people from choosing to get a tasty meal at the family-owned
establishment.
And yet, I visited the Costco just down the road to find long lines and people packed into aisles like sardines in a can! Hypocrisy much?
In this video, I spoke to Adam Skelly about his flame-broiled defiance of the lockdown measures hurting small businesses just before he was arrested by Toronto police for trespassing on his own property!
Take a look at our footage, and ask yourself the question: Is this really the direction we are headed as a county?
If you’re a small business owner like Adam who is choosing to
open your doors in peaceful defiance of the lockdown, you can tell us
your story at iWillOpen.com.
You can also pitch in a donation to help us fight the fines of
Canadians cited for breaking arbitrary COVID-19 violations on our FightTheFines.com page.
LIVE UPDATES: Adamson Barbecue owner put in handcuffs
Nov 26, 2020 • Last Updated 6 minutes ago • 2 minute read
Adamson
BBQ owner Adam Skelly is led away from his restaurant by Toronto Police
as supporters tried to wrestle him away on Thursday, November 26, 2020. Photo by Jack Boland /Toronto Sun
BREAKING: ADAM SKELLY HAS BEEN LED AWAY IN HANDCUFFS. FOLLOW LIVE COVERAGE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STORY
Adamson
Barbecue owner Adam Skelly, who has been refusing to follow a
provincial lockdown order, has been arrested after officials locked him
out of his restaurant Thursday.
Skelly had
told the Sun that police told him if he messed with the door that had
its locks changed he would be charged with obstruction of justice. He
was taken away in handcuffs.
Toronto Police
confirm that arrests have been made and officers remain at the scene.
“We continue to ask for calm and cooperation,” the force tweeted.
Cops say a second man was arrested for assaulting a police officer.
Adamson BBQ owner Adam Skelly is led away from his restaurant by Toronto Police on Thursday, November 26, 2020. Photo by Jack Boland /Toronto Sun
More to come…
Mayor
John Tory appeared on CNN Thursday morning, making it clear Adamson
Barbecue will not be serving its slow-cooked beef on this day.
“He won’t be opening today, I can assure you that,” Toronto’s mayor told the American network on that country’s Thanksgiving.
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Not
long after that quote started to move around Toronto media came word
that the city had raided the Queen Elizabeth Boulevard restaurant with
hired locksmiths.
The city told reporters on the scene that under order of public health they had changed the locks on the restaurant.
Skelly
was joined by a crowd of supporters outside his restaurant. “Need
locksmith & other hands at Etobicoke asap,” he had posted in an Instagram story earlier.
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On
Wednesday, he told the Toronto Sun he not only fully intended to open
today but would bring “five times” the amount of food to serve
everybody.
He said this despite receiving nine tickets for various alleged (non criminal code) violations under several jurisdictions.
Skelly
was ignoring earlier rulings from the province and then a closure order
from Toronto’s medical officer of health Dr. Eileen De Villa.
Toronto Polcie officers block the side door outside Adamson Barbecue on Queen Elizabeth Blvd. Thursday, November 26, 2020. Photo by Jack Boland /Toronto Sun
Meanwhile, a man named Barry McNamar has started a GoFundMe account to help Skelly with his legal costs.
“I
don’t know him but I do know that guys like him are in short supply
during this overblown COVID nonsense and he deserves our support.”
Skelly has been a major big thorn in the side of Premier Doug Ford and Mayor John Tory this week.
Supporters and Toronto Police outside Adamson Barbecue on Queen Elizabeth Blvd. on Thursday, November 26, 2020. Photo by Jack Boland /Toronto Sun
“I
was nice to the guy yesterday, but buddy, let me tell you something,
you’re putting people’s lives in jeopardy,” Ford said Wednesday.
Tory’s
frustration abut the situation was highlighted in a news release late
Wednesday that said, “Neither Mayor John Tory nor city council direct
enforcement of any kind,” however, “following (Tuesday’s) confusing
series of events, caused in part by the fact the regulations are brand
new, the mayor indicated he was dissatisfied with the outcome of the
Adamson matter, asked repeated questions, and was assured at this
morning’s COVID-19 Strategic Command Table meeting that there was
alignment and that the various authorities were ready for an anticipated
repeat opening.”
This occurred Thursday morning with the changing of the locks of Adamson Barbecue.
A number of Canadian journalists and pundits are not happy about a Toronto small business defying Ontario’s lockdown orders.
On Wednesday, the owner of Adamson Barbecue Adam Skelly opened his
doors a second time for indoor dining in defiance of the province’s
latest coronavirus restrictions.
Although Skelly received a lot of support from Canadians, a few
journalists expressed their unhappiness with his business re-opening.
CTV pundit tells business owner to “get bent” calls for restaurant to be chained up
On Tuesday afternoon, CTV News correspondent Scott Reid tweeted in
response to Adamson Barbecue’s re-opening by saying that authorities to
“chain the joint” and for Skelly to “get bent.”
According to Reid’s LinkedIn, he has been a correspondent with the
national news agency since 2011 and he was once the Director of
Communications for Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin from 2003 to
2006.
CP24 editor gloats about small business getting shut down
While local officials were notifying Skelly that his business had
been ordered to close, CP24 Managing Editor Stephanie Smyth commemorated
the event by taking a jab at the small business owner on Twitter.
The tweet which has since been deleted shows Smyth telling Skelly “you’re getting shut down.”
Nora Loreto accuses business owner of “extreme white guy energy” and cries racism
Controversial freelance writer and commentator Nora Loreto took the
opportunity to lecture fellow journalists for not making the Adamson
Barbecue story about race.
Loreto then went on to say that “it’s just extreme white guy energy to pull of [sic] what he’s trying in Etobicoke…”
Far-left journalist and editor says business owner is trying to make “more of a profit”
Journalist and editor of the far-left publication, Passage, Davide
Mastracci suggested in a tweet on Wednesday that Skelly was violating
lockdown orders to try and make a profit for his business.
Earlier this month, Mastracci was advocating for TV journalists to be banned from wearing a Remembrance Day poppy while on air.
Toronto Star journalist complains about Trump hats and children eating inside
Toronto Star reporter Jennifer Pagliaro, who was on scene for Adamson
BBQ’s opening on Wednesday live-tweeted a thread in which she
complained about restaurant patrons wearing Trump hats and a family with
children enjoying their dine-in meal.
In an opinion article
published that day, Pagliaro was also quoted as saying that being at
the restaurant “felt the way I imagine it felt like at Trump rallies.”
We’ve been asked to stay off the property so I can’t see what enforcement is up to but @rlautens tells me one possible patron has a Trump hat on— Jennifer Pagliaro (@jpags) November 24, 2020
A family with small children continues to enjoy their food at a windowside table as a country tune plays— Jennifer Pagliaro (@jpags) November 24, 2020
Columnist accuses business owner of having a “child’s selfishness”
In a column
published on Wednesday, Toronto Star columnist Bruce Arthur referred to
Skelly’s actions as “a child’s selfishness” and of having
“misinformation brain.”
“This is misinformation brain, in action,” wrote Arthur.
“We shouldn’t join the people who confuse a child’s selfishness with
freedom; instead, we should support our local businesses as best we can
without endangering one another, and governments should add to that
support, as soon as it can.”
